Emergency and disaster management briefing for July 20, 2020: The FDA adds more hand sanitizers to its list of products whose use should be avoided; evacuations have been lifted and roadways reopened for the Big Summit Fire burning in Utah; three police officers were killed and nine critically injured in Texas during a Thin Blue Line Motorcycle Club ride; evacuation orders remain in place for the Cottonwood Trail Fire in Utah; the NWS issues Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories for much of the East Coast; an area of forest thinned by firefighters in the Deschutes National Forest is helping to stop a wildfire’s spread; the CPUC has ordered wireless providers to improve public resiliency to Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events; and air tankers dropping water and fire retardant help ground crews with fire containment in Idaho.
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1) New hand sanitizers have once again been added to the do not use list produced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to possible methanol contamination. In total, there are 75 hand sanitizers that are under recall or recommended for recall due to the potentially fatal ingredient that may be in the product. According to the FDA, the products are labeled to contain ethanol (ethyl alcohol) but actually contain methanol. Methanol is a toxic substance; when it is absorbed through the skin or ingested, methanol can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, permanent blindness, seizures and death.
The FDA has expanded its list of hand sanitizer products to avoid because they may contain toxic methanol. https://t.co/KheybXcct9 pic.twitter.com/WmCZc7CQWy
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) July 20, 2020
2) According to Utah Fire Info, evacuations have been lifted for the Hamlin Valley in Iron County as a result of the Big Summit Fire. The wildfire, which began in Nevada and burned its way into Utah, has consumed 8,453 acres and is only about 34 percent contained. Roads have also reopened, but fire officials are asking residents to use caution when returning home due to continued firefighter activity in the area and on roadways.
Due to the distance from the Incident Command Post to the #BigSummitFire, hand crews have been staying overnight near the fireline in “spike camps” which are managed by a skeleton support crew. Helicopters have been supporting the spike camps by delivering food and supplies. pic.twitter.com/ZlOXBK5hXi
— Bureau of Land Management- Nevada (@blmnv) July 19, 2020
3) Three officers were killed and nine others were critically injured while they were riding their motorcycles as members of the Thin Blue Line Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club. The accident, which occurred on a Texas highway near Kerrville, was allegedly caused by an intoxicated driver who crossed the center line and hit the bikers head-on while they were out on a ride this past Saturday. The driver of the vehicle has been arrested on charges of intoxicated manslaughter and intoxicated assault.
Texas crash caused by alleged drunk driver kills 3 members of Thin Blue Line motorcycle club, injures 9 https://t.co/p9XoZ9rVER
— Raymond E. Foster (@policeofficer) July 20, 2020
4) The Cottonwood Trail Fire ignited in Washington County, Utah, on Sunday and has prompted evacuations in multiple small communities. The wind-driven wildfire, which was sparked by a blown tire, had consumed at least 3,000 acres by late Sunday evening. The swift-moving blaze also jumped the median near Harrisburg on I-15. It forced the highway’s closure in both directions for several hours, creating havoc for drivers and trapping some vehicles as the fire approached.
WATCH: You can see how close the #CottonwoodTrailFire burned to the car Aly Winder was in on I-15 in Southern #Utah. She says, "We were sitting ducks in traffic & watched as the fire came right at us. We could feel the heat of it in our car." More tonight on @KSL5TV at 10. #KSLTV pic.twitter.com/qFpfOTNTLW
— Angie Reed (@TVNewsAngieReed) July 20, 2020
5) The Northeast is facing hot conditions as the current heat wave moves into the area from the Midwest. Highs are forecast to be in the upper 90s in many locations including Boston, Hartford, New York and Philadelphia, with Baltimore forecast to hit 99 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat indices will move into the triple digits on Monday, which prompted the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories for much of the East Coast.
Excessive heat warnings and heat advisories are posted for oppressively hot and humid conditions on the East Coast today: https://t.co/vdc0VPKkMC pic.twitter.com/AVztcZ3cI5
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) July 20, 2020
6) A wildfire that broke out in the Deschutes National Forest near La Pine, Oregon, on Saturday afternoon is now 30 percent contained. Hot, dry and windy weather helped spur the Rosland Road Fire, which has consumed nearly 400 acres. The blaze reached a portion of the forest that had been thinned by firefighters, thereby reducing available fuels, which assisted firefighters in achieving the fire’s containment.
Wildfire in Deschutes National Forest grows to almost 400 acres https://t.co/YMoiBmyNyv pic.twitter.com/LaDXhQrhF2
— The Oregonian (@Oregonian) July 19, 2020
7) Wireless carriers in California have been ordered to improve public resiliency to Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events to maintain public health and safety during disasters. The Decision, ordered by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), now requires wireless carriers to adopt a 72-hour minimum service coverage requirement during grid outages or disasters, directs wireless providers to submit annual emergency operations plans, and requires the transition away from diesel back-up generators to a renewable backup generator. In addition, the new Decision also defines wireless resiliency and requires wireless providers to file resiliency and emergency plans that detail their ability to maintain a minimum level of service and coverage during a disaster or commercial power grid outage.
8) Air tankers dropping water and fire retardant assisted fire crews on the ground to help contain the Chinese Peak wildfire in Pocatello, Idaho, that erupted on Sunday. The wildfire ignited just east of Stockman Road around 2:45 p.m. and quickly threatened nearby neighborhoods. The raging wildfire had consumed nearly 1,450 acres by late Sunday, but firefighters worked swiftly and achieved 30 percent containment, with full containment expected by Monday evening.
9:30 AM Mon 07/20: Here is an update on the #ChinesePeakFire in Pocatello. #idwx #idfire https://t.co/UiewvWaVOh
— NWS Pocatello (@NWSPocatello) July 20, 2020
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