Thursday’s EM Morning Brief tracks an active wildfire posture at National Preparedness Level 2 with twelve uncontained large fires from Florida to Washington, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s WATCH status at Kīlauea ahead of fountaining episode 47, and FEMA’s $237 million Public Assistance push. State-by-state, Cedric covers Oakland County’s continuing boil water advisory, severe weather warnings across New York, Maryland, West Virginia and Utah, a natural-gas explosion in Matthews, North Carolina, Oregon’s expanded drought emergency, and Governor Abbott’s amended Texas disaster declaration. EM Morning Brief is your concise daily update on national and state-by-state emergency management news. Produced by Sitch Radio, an EOC Voices podcast.

Key Takeaways

• National Fire Posture: NIFC holds the country at PL 2 with 12 uncontained large fires; year-to-date acres are well above the ten-year average.

• Kīlauea Episode 47: USGS HVO keeps Kīlauea at WATCH/ORANGE with a May 13 to May 14 fountaining window inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park’s closed area.

• FEMA Public Assistance: $237 million in reimbursements announced for states, locals, tribes and territories; $185M+ ongoing for Missouri 2025 recovery, $147M to St. Louis.

• Oakland County Water Lifeline (Michigan): GLWA 42-inch main repair complete; pressure restoration expected May 14; boil water advisory continues pending bacteriological testing.

• Tornado Warning (New York): NWS Buffalo issued a tornado warning for Jefferson/Oswego counties near Sandy Island Beach until 5:45 p.m. EDT.

• Gas Line Explosion (North Carolina): Matthews neighborhood evacuations after a contractor drill struck an 8-inch gas main; two homes heavily damaged, no civilian injuries.

• Oregon Drought Emergency: Governor Kotek’s EO 26-08 adds Coos, Klamath and Wheeler counties; 12 of 36 Oregon counties now under drought emergency.

• Texas Disaster Declaration: Governor Abbott adds coastal counties to the severe storm proclamation; SBA approves disaster declaration for seven additional counties.

• Severe Weather (MD/WV/UT): NWS issued severe thunderstorm warnings for Garrett/Allegany/Mineral counties and Salt Lake/Davis/Tooele counties with damaging-wind and hail hazards.

• Active Large Fires: Pineland Road (GA, 32,575 ac, 90 percent), Hummingbird (NM, 5,680 ac, 76 percent), Nike (WA, 3,067 ac, 40 percent AM/70 percent PM), Hazen (AZ, 1,191 ac, 87 percent), East Side (MT, 1,219 ac, 70 percent).

Sponsors

The NIMS Store - https://thenimsstore.com/

Sources

NIFC / Wildfire

• NIFC Incident Management Situation Report, May 13, 2026 — National PL 2, 12 uncontained large fires, by-area summaries

• NIFC National Interagency Coordination Center IMSR landing page

USGS / Volcano

• USGS HVO Kīlauea Daily Update, May 13, 2026 — episode 47 forecast, WATCH/ORANGE

• USGS Kīlauea Volcano Updates portal

FEMA

• FEMA Press Release, May 13, 2026 — $237M Public Assistance reimbursements

• FEMA Press Release, May 13, 2026 — Missouri Recovery Funding update

DHS / NTAS

• DHS National Terrorism Advisory System landing page — no active bulletin; most recent June 22, 2025

NHC / NOAA

• NHC Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook — routine issuances resume May 15, 2026

• NWS Storm Prediction Center Day 1 Convective Outlook, May 13, 2026

Arizona

• Hazen Fire updates near Buckeye — FOX 10 Phoenix coverage

Florida

• NIFC IMSR — Florida incident details, May 13, 2026

Georgia

• Georgia Forestry Commission — Current Wildfire Information and Resources

• NIFC IMSR — Pineland Road Fire entry, May 13, 2026

Hawaii

• USGS HVO Kīlauea Daily Update, May 13, 2026

• Hawaii News Now — Episode 47 of Kilauea fountaining expected to begin, May 13, 2026

Maryland

• NWS Baltimore/Washington Severe Thunderstorm Warning summary feed

Michigan

• Oakland County Water Emergency landing page

• Michigan Public — Burst water main replaced, but water use restrictions continue, May 12, 2026

Missouri

• FEMA Press Release, May 13, 2026 — Missouri Recovery Funding

Montana

• NIFC IMSR — East Side Fire entry, Custer Gallatin NF, May 13, 2026

New Mexico

• NM Fire Info — Six Mile Fire Morning Update, May 13, 2026

• USFS Cibola NF — Six Mile Fire Update, May 13, 2026

• NIFC IMSR — Hummingbird Fire entry, Gila NF, May 13, 2026

New York

• WWNY — Tornado warning issued for Jefferson and Oswego counties, May 13, 2026

• NWS SPC — current watches and warnings

North Carolina

• WBTV — Massive fire, explosion prompt evacuations in Matthews neighborhood, May 13, 2026

• WCNC — 2 homes significantly damaged in Matthews gas line explosion

Oregon

• KQEN News Radio — Governor Kotek declares drought emergency in three more counties, May 13, 2026

• KGW — One-third of Oregon counties now under drought emergency

Texas

• Texas Governor — Abbott Amends, Renews Severe Storm Disaster Proclamation in May 2026

• TDEM — Governor Abbott Announces Additional SBA Assistance for Severe Storms, May 13, 2026

Utah

• ABC4 — Severe Thunderstorm Warning expanded, Salt Lake City to be impacted, May 13, 2026

• NWS Salt Lake City forecast office

Washington

• NIFC IMSR — Nike Fire entry, Mid Columbia NWR Complex, May 13, 2026

• KHQ — Nike Fire burning 3,000+ acres near Mattawa, 70 percent contained, May 13, 2026

West Virginia

• NWS Baltimore/Washington Severe Thunderstorm Warning summary feed

The National Interagency Fire center holds the country at National Preparedness Level 2 in its Wednesday, May 13 Incident Management Situation Report with 12 uncontained large wildfires across the southern area, southwest, Northwest and Northern Rockies.

The southern area carries the bulk of activity, including Georgia's Pineland Road fire at 32,575 acres and 90% containment and multiple uncontained Florida Forest Service incidents nationwide.

Year to date totals stand near 26,076 fires and 1.89 million acres burned, well above the 10 year average for acres.

The US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has Kilauea at Volcano Alert level watch and Aviation Color Code Orange in its daily update with the halemaumau Summit eruption paused and a forecast window for lava fountaining episode 47 between May 13 and May 14.

The eruption sits inside a closed area of Hawaii Volcanoes national park and HVO continues coordination with the park and Hawaii County Civil Defense FEMA's Wednesday newsroom features two operationally relevant updates, an additional $237 million in public assistance reimbursements for states, local governments, tribal nations and territories tied to previous disasters and a Missouri Recovery update reporting more than $185 million in total FEMA support with $147 million directed to St. Louis city and county.

There are no active DHS National Terrorism Advisory System bulletins.

Let's run through the states.

Arizona the AFM Hazen Fire in the Central District one mile south of Buckeye is 1,191 acres and 87% contained per the May 13, IMSR with brush, grass and timber fuels and trail closures in effect.

No evacuations or school closures have been ordered in connection with the fire.

Six Florida Forest Service incidents and one U.S. forest Service incident remain on the IMSR with the Cow Creek Fire 10 miles south of Bronson at 75%, containment Max Road 06 northwest of Miami at 80%, the 172 Ave Fire southeast of Florida City at 65%, Laclusa west southeast of Gainesville at 85%, the Sargent Fire in the national Forests in Florida at 90% and the South Canal Fire south of Mayo at 93%.

Structures are threatened on several incidents and trail and area closures remain in effect.

Precipitation occurred over multiple fire areas on May 12.

Georgia the Pineland Road fire started on private land 13 miles northwest of Fargo in Clinch county, sits at 32,575 acres and 90% containment per the May 13 IMSR with structures and critical infrastructure threatened, smoldering fire behavior and ongoing area and trail closures.

Precipitation occurred over the fire area on May 12.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's May 13 daily update places Kilauea at watch with aviation color code orange with the Halemaumau eruption paused and the forecast window for lava fountaining episode 47 between May 13 and May 14.

Hazards include high levels of volcanic gas, tephra fall on downwind communities and lava flow hazards inside the closed area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Maryland the National Weather Service Baltimore Washington Forecast Office issued a severe thunderstorm warning on May 13 for southwestern Allegheny county and central Garrett county in western Maryland with 60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail expected and locations including Deer Park, Mountain Lake park and Deep Creek Lake State Park.

Michigan the Great Lakes Water Authority's 42 inch transmission main repair in Oakland county has progressed with GLWA installing the replacement pipe segment and expecting water pressure restoration on Thursday, May 14.

Boil water advisories remain in effect for Orion Township, the Village of Lake Orion, Rochester Hills, Pontiac and Auburn Hills pending bacteriological testing, and residents are still asked to limit water use to essentials.

Emergency water pickups continue while testing is underway.

Montana the east side fire on the Custer Gallatin National Forest, five miles south of Red Lodge is 1,219acres and 70% contained per the May 13 IMSR.

New Mexico the Six Mile Fire on the Cibola National Forest, 12 miles southeast of Magdalena is 341 acres with structures threatened and trail closures in effect.

Acreage was reduced through more accurate mapping.

The Hummingbird Fire on the gila National Forest, 15 miles east of Glenwood is 5,680 acres and 76% contained with ongoing area closures.

The Albuquerque Zone Type 3 Incident Management Team is assigned to the Six Mile Fire.

New York the National Weather Service Buffalo office issued a tornado warning on May 13 for South Central Jefferson county and north central oswego county until 5:45pm EDT, citing a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado near Sandy Island Beach State park moving northeast at 30 mph.

The warning covered Pulaski, Adams, Sandy Creek, Lacona, Mansville, Ellisburg, Selkirk Shores State park and a stretch of Interstate 81 between exits 37 and 41.

North Carolina A natural gas main rupture and explosion in Matthews on May 13 prompted neighborhood evacuations near Pleasant Plains Road and Morningwood Drive after a utility contractor's drill struck an 8 inch gas main.

Two homes sustained heavy damage.

Flames were extinguished after the line was cut off shortly after 2pm and no civilian injuries were reported, with some firefighters treated for heat related issues.

Oregon governor Tina Kotek declared a drought emergency in Coos, Klamath and wheeler counties on May 13 through Executive Order 26 08, directing state agencies to coordinate and prioritize assistance.

Twelve of Oregon's 36 counties are now under drought emergency, with Klamath Basin's snow water equivalent at 4% of normal and the John Day Basin at 2% of normal as of late April.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott amended the statewide severe weather disaster declaration on May 13 to add coastal communities and directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to request joint preliminary damage assessments.

The U.S. small Business Administration approved a related disaster declaration, adding Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Lavaca, Refugio and Victoria counties with a disaster loan outreach center opening May 18 at 104 S. William St.

In Victoria, Utah.

The National Weather Service Salt Lake City office issued a severe Thunderstorm warning on May 13th for portions of Salt Lake, Davis and Tuille counties, with thunderstorms near Stansbury park and Grantsville Moving northeast and 60-65 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail expected.

A broader severe Thunderstorm watch covered 13 counties through 8pm MDT.

Washington the Nike fire in the Mid Columbia national wildlife refuge complex 20 miles west of Othello guiding is 3,067 acres and 40% contained per the May 13 morning IMSR with brush and grass fuels and minimal fire behavior.

Later May 13th reporting indicated containment had risen to 70% by evening as Grant county crews continued operations.

West Virginia the severe thunderstorm warning issued By NWS Baltimore Washington ON May 13 Also covered West central Mineral county in eastern West Virginia with damaging wind and hail hazards alongside Maryland's Garrett and Allegheny counties.

All other states and territories have no significant updates in the last 24 hours that wraps today's EM Morning Brief.

New episodes drop Monday through Friday in the 5am hour PT, so the day starts with clarity.

Instead of catch up, subscribe on the Emergency Management Network on Substack or follow on your favorite podcast player.

EM Morning Brief is an EOC Voices podcast.

Stay safe.