Hawk Fire forces mass evacuations on Reno's edge; Nevada declares emergency; Washington's Little Giant becomes largest fire in Chelan County history

The Hawk Fire has burned more than 15,000 acres at zero containment on the northwest edge of Reno, with roughly 42,000 people under evacuation orders, 45,000 more under warnings and about 10,000 NV Energy customers de-energized for firefighter safety. Governor Joe Lombardo has declared a state of emergency for Washoe County. In Washington, the Little Giant Fire has surpassed the 1994 Tyee Creek Fire as the largest to burn entirely within Chelan County, while the Colwash Fire near Mabton has grown past 38,000 acres. Hawaii is under a county emergency proclamation as Tropical Depression Moke drops heavy rain on ground already saturated by Tropical Storm Lala. Also in this episode: a three-day CISA remediation deadline on an actively exploited Zimbra flaw, dangerous heat across the Southern Plains, and a national fire picture at Preparedness Level 5 with 79 uncontained large fires. 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

• Hawk Fire, Nevada: 15,051 acres, zero containment, human caused. About 13,700 residences in the evacuation footprint, roughly 42,000 people under orders and 45,000 under warnings. Six injuries, none life threatening. Structure losses confirmed but not yet counted.

• Lifelines, Nevada and California: About 10,000 NV Energy customers de-energized (peak above 60,000), gas shut off to roughly 250 customers, and spillover outages to about 14,800 Truckee Donner and 22,000 Liberty Utilities customers in California.

• National fire posture: Preparedness Level 5, 79 uncontained large fires, 124 active incidents, 22,122 personnel. Year to date acreage is 169 percent of the ten-year average. International teams from Australia and New Zealand plus military resources are committed.

• Washington: Little Giant at 144,832 acres and 15 percent, now the largest fire to burn entirely within Chelan County. Colwash at 38,599 acres and 8 percent, with Level 3 evacuations reduced to Level 2 and a shelter open at Prosser High School.

• Hawaii: County emergency proclamation in effect for Tropical Depression Moke, island-wide Flood Watch through 6 p.m. local, life-threatening flooding and mudslide risk on saturated ground. Kilauea fountaining expected this week.

• Cyber: CISA added CVE-2026-73570, an OS command injection flaw in Zimbra Collaboration Suite, to the KEV catalog Friday with a Binding Operational Directive 26-04 remediation deadline of today.

• Heat: Extreme Heat Warning for North and Central Texas with heat index to 112, and dangerous heat persisting across the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley. Heat is already slowing power restoration crews in Mississippi.

• Long-tail recovery, Indiana: Thirteen days after the August 11 derecho, 17,944 customers remain without power, seven deaths are confirmed, the National Guard is activated, and the major disaster declaration request is still pending.

• Federal posture: No active NTAS bulletin. FEMA’s most recent action is the Pine Tree Road Fire Management Assistance Grant in Arkansas. No new disaster declarations Aug 22 to 24.

Sources

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Link is in the show notes below

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Good morning, I'm Cedric and

this is your EM Morning Brief

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for Monday, August 24, 2026.

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The national wildfire picture leads today.

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The country remains at Preparedness

Level 5 with 79 uncontained large

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fires, 124 active incidents and more

than 22,000 personnel committed.

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Year to date, more than 7.7

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million acres have burned, which is

169 percent of the ten-year average.

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The most urgent situation is in northern

Nevada, where the human-caused Hawk Fire

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has burned more than 15,000 acres at zero

containment on the northwest edge of Reno.

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Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state

of emergency for Washoe County Saturday

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evening (official update published

roughly 32 hours ago), directing all

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state agencies to work through the

Nevada Emergency Operations Center.

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Three fifteen-member incident management

teams and 270 fireline personnel

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from Australia and New Zealand are

assigned to fires in the Northwest

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and Great Basin, and 240 soldiers

from Joint Base Lewis-McChord are

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supporting operations in Washington.

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In the Pacific, Tropical Depression

Moke is passing south of the Hawaiian

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Islands and weakening, with three to

six inches of additional rain forecast

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for the Big Island and eastern Maui.

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Hawaii County has a local state of

emergency in effect and an island-wide

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Flood Watch runs until 6 p.m.

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Hawaii time.

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The Atlantic is quiet, with no active

cyclones and no coastal watches

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or warnings anywhere in the basin.

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On the mainland, the Storm Prediction

Center carries a Slight Risk of

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severe thunderstorms for the northern

Plains and Upper Midwest, the

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central High Plains, the middle Gulf

Coast and the coastal Carolinas.

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Dangerous heat continues across

the Southern Plains and the Lower

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Mississippi Valley, with an Extreme

Heat Warning in North and Central Texas

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and heat index values reaching 112.

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On the federal side, CISA added one

vulnerability to the Known Exploited

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Vulnerabilities catalog Friday: an

operating system command injection

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flaw in Zimbra Collaboration

Suite, tracked as CVE-: 2026

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The federal remediation deadline

under Binding Operational Directive

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26-04 is today, which is an

unusually short three-day turnaround.

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There is no active National

Terrorism Advisory System bulletin.

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FEMA's most recent action is a Fire

Management Assistance Grant for

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the Pine Tree Road Fire in Union

County, Arkansas, approved Friday.

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The State Department updated travel

advisories for Austria, Lebanon,

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Mozambique and Turkmenistan on

Friday, with Lebanon remaining

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at Level 4, do not travel.

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And the U.S.

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Geological Survey says the next

Kilauea summit fountaining episode

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is likely between today and Friday.

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States or Territory

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Nevada carries the highest-impact

incident in the country.

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The Hawk Fire, which started Saturday

morning near Somersett on the northwest

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edge of Reno, reached 15,051 acres

at zero containment Sunday evening.

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Washoe County reports roughly 13,700

residences inside the evacuation

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footprint, with about 42,000

people under evacuation orders

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and another 45,000 under warnings.

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NV Energy has about 10,000 customers

de-energized for firefighter safety, down

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from a peak above 60,000, and gas service

is shut off to roughly 250 customers.

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The Red Cross shelter at the

Reno-Sparks Convention Center

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held 465 people Saturday night and

has more than 900 cots available.

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Six injuries are reported,

three civilians and three

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responders, none life threatening.

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Structures have been lost, but

damage assessment teams cannot enter

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yet, so no count has been released.

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The fire is human caused and

under active investigation.

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Washoe County schools are closed today

and Reno-Stead Airport is closed.

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Washington has two major

fires driving evacuations.

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The Little Giant Fire in Chelan County

stands at 144,832 acres and 15 percent

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containment with about 2,300 personnel

assigned, and it has now surpassed the

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1994 Tyee Creek Fire as the largest fire

to burn entirely within Chelan County.

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Level 3 Go Now orders remain near the

fire footprint, and a virtual community

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meeting is set for 6:30 tonight.

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In south central Washington, the

lightning-caused Colwash Fire on

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Yakama Nation land near Mabton grew to

38,599 acres at 8 percent containment.

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Level 3 evacuations in both Yakima and

Benton counties were reduced to Level 2

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Sunday evening, and a Red Cross shelter

remains open at Prosser High School.

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One home and two other structures

are lost, with no injuries.

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Near Stehekin, the Sisi Fire is

threatening the state airport and

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the Company Creek hydro plant.

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Hawaii is working two problems at once.

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Tropical Depression Moke passed

southwest of the Big Island overnight,

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and forecasters warn the additional

rainfall could produce life-threatening

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flooding and mudslides on the windward

and southeast Big Island, on ground

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already saturated by Tropical Storm Lala.

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Hawaii County has a mayoral emergency

proclamation in effect invoking

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Chapter 127A powers and authorizing

county facilities as shelters.

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Governor Green said Monday that

Moke impacts remain light and

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that Lala recovery continues.

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Separately, Kilauea is at Advisory

and Yellow, with the next fountaining

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episode expected this week.

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Oregon has new evacuations

in the Elkhorn Mountains.

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The McCulley and North Pole fires

both started Saturday night north

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of Sumpter, and the Baker County

Sheriff's Office expanded Level 3 Go

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Now zones into Baker and Grant counties.

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The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

responded to 16 wildfires Saturday alone.

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On the Umatilla National Forest, Red Flag

Warnings have lifted over the Paradise

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and Hagen fires, and the Umatilla

County emergency shelter has relocated

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to Neighbor 2 Neighbor in Pendleton.

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California has fire activity on two

fronts plus outage spillover from Nevada.

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The Timber Fire in Los Padres National

Forest southeast of Big Sur grew

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nearly 2,000 acres to 8,665 acres

at 25 percent containment, with

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evacuation orders in two Monterey

County zones and warnings in nine more.

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In Humboldt County, the MP18 Fire near

Hoopa is 7,610 acres at 74 percent.

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The Hawk Fire's transmission impacts cut

power to roughly 14,800 Truckee Donner

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customers and 22,000 Liberty Utilities

customers in Truckee and North Lake Tahoe.

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Indiana is still in recovery

from the August 11 derecho.

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State homeland security reported

17,944 customers without

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power statewide as of 4 p.m.

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Sunday, most in Lake and Porter

counties, thirteen days after the storm.

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Seven disaster-related

deaths are confirmed.

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Gary schools remain closed, the National

Guard is activated, and NIPSCO estimates

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restoration in Gary by end of day Tuesday.

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The governor's major disaster

declaration request is still

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pending, and the state is telling

residents not to apply to FEMA yet.

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Texas is under dangerous heat.

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The Weather Service in Fort Worth

has an Extreme Heat Warning in effect

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through this evening for North and

Central Texas, with highs to 110,

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heat index values from 102 to 112,

and an elevated grass fire threat from

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hot, breezy south-southwest winds.

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In Brown County, crews stopped forward

progress on the Neighbor Fire near U.S.

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67 at 150 acres and 25 percent

containment after precautionary

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evacuations and two county road closures.

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Florida has significant fire activity

inside Everglades National Park.

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The Chipmunk Fire grew nearly 8,000 acres

in a single day to 9,232 acres at 30

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percent containment, and the Movie Dome

Fire sits at 6,222 acres and 60 percent.

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The Park Service has an emergency

closure order covering the entire

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Shark Valley area including the

visitor center and tram road.

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Smoke is visible from U.S.

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41, but no Tamiami Trail

closure is expected.

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Separately, JEA issued a precautionary

boil water advisory in southwest

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Nocatee after a 12-inch main break.

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Minnesota has three fires burning in the

Superior National Forest under a single

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Type 1 team, with a National Incident

Management Organization team mobilizing.

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Bear Trap is 30,806 acres at 55

percent, Thumb is 25,015 acres at 55

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percent, and Sioux is 6,833 acres at

76 percent with three structures lost.

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Area, road and trail closures remain

in effect in the Boundary Waters.

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We have more to cover this morning, but

first, a quick word from our sponsors.

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Thanks for supporting our sponsors who

help make EM Morning Brief possible.

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Now, back to this morning’s updates.

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Alaska has good news at Tok.

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The Division of Forestry and Fire

Protection removed all Level 1 Ready

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and Level 2 Set zones on the Mukluk

Fire Sunday afternoon, though the Level

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3 Go zone north of the fire remains.

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The fire is 7,260 acres at 20

percent containment, and unstable

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burned trees are now the primary

hazard to crews and the public.

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Colorado has the most destructive

incident in the national report.

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The Aspen Acres Fire southwest of

Pueblo is 102,004 acres at 77 percent

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containment with 915 structures lost.

146

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Command of the Elk Fire near Lake

City returns to the local unit today.

147

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Montana reports the Sand Creek

Fire east of Wisdom at 32,306 acres

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and 10 percent containment, with

evacuations and closures in effect.

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Numerous structures and

communication infrastructure are

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threatened, and a second incident

management team is mobilizing.

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Idaho has the Moose Mountain Fire

northeast of Pierce at 3,841 acres

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and 8 percent containment, with

evacuations and road closures in effect.

153

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Utah reports the Slough Canyon Fire

on Uintah and Ouray Agency land east

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of Price growing more than 2,200 acres

in a single day to 3,000 acres at

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zero containment, with extreme fire

behavior and structures threatened.

156

: 00:10:55

New Mexico has the Frijoles Fire near

Cundiyo at 15,220 acres and 42 percent

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containment with 981 personnel assigned.

158

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Camino de Canon has been downgraded

from Go to Set, and a community

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meeting is set for tonight in Truchas.

160

: 00:11:12

Arkansas reports the Pine Tree Road

Fire two miles south of Lawson in Union

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County at 2,328 acres and 80 percent

containment, with one structure lost.

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FEMA approved a Fire Management

Assistance Grant for the incident Friday.

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Oklahoma has two fires

on Anadarko Agency land.

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The new Sugar Creek Fire near Binger is

370 acres at 10 percent with residences

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threatened and 36 engines committed, and

the: 2690

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at 15 percent with two structures lost.

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Mississippi reports about 2,700

Entergy customers still out after

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roughly 75,000 outages from weekend

storm fronts, with some restorations

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pushed to Tuesday because extreme

heat is cutting crew productivity.

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The Jackson Highway 90 Fire near Moss

Point is 1,428 acres at 75 percent.

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Tennessee saw Cumberland Electric

Membership Corporation lose power

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to 11,180 customers in Robertson and

Sumner counties Sunday afternoon,

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citing an issue upstream of its system.

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Nearly all service was

restored by evening.

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Arizona had a Flash Flood Warning issued

by the Weather Service in Tucson Sunday

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evening for south central Pinal County

after radar indicated one to two inches

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of rain just south of Arizona City.

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North Carolina recorded a 60 mile

per hour thunderstorm gust at Avon

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in Dare County late Sunday, and the

Weather Service in Raleigh issued

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a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for

central Sampson County this morning.

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The coastal Carolinas sit

in today's Slight Risk area.

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South Carolina had storms bring down a

tree into utility wires near Litchfield

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Beach in Georgetown County Sunday

afternoon, under a Severe Thunderstorm

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Warning and a Flood Advisory.

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Georgia issued a Code Orange air

quality alert for metro Atlanta

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today, unhealthy for sensitive

groups, in effect through 6 p.m.

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The Main Trail Fire on Wassaw

National Wildlife Refuge southeast of

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Savannah is 741 acres at 35 percent.

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New York and New Jersey saw early Sunday

storms flood the Clearview Expressway in

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Queens, trapping two cars, and temporarily

close lanes of the Brooklyn-Queens

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and Long Island expressways.

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Newark firefighters used an inflatable

raft to rescue three drivers.

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South Dakota had a First Alert Weather

Day Sunday for supercells in the

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Black Hills capable of very large

hail and 70 to 80 mile per hour gusts.

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No damage reports were confirmed.

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Maine is under a Dense Fog Advisory

this morning for coastal and

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central Washington County, with

visibility a quarter mile or less.

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All other states have no significant

updates in the last 24 hours.

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Let’s run through the territories.

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Puerto Rico and the U.S.

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Virgin Islands are under a Heat Advisory

issued this morning by the Weather

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Service in San Juan, covering all of

Puerto Rico plus Culebra, Vieques, St.

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: 00:14:16

Thomas, St.

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John and St.

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Croix, in effect from 10 a.m.

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to 4 p.m.

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Atlantic time.

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Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands

are under a High Surf Advisory and High

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Rip Current Risk through early Tuesday

for west-facing reefs of Guam, Rota,

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Tinian and Saipan, with breaking waves

of seven to ten feet driven by monsoon

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swell and Tropical Depression 19W.

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Forecasters have stood down the heavy

rain threat and issued their final

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hydrologic outlook for the event.

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No tropical cyclone watches

or warnings are in effect.

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District of Columbia crews worked

an emergency overnight repair on a

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broken 8-inch water main on D Street

Northeast on Capitol Hill, with

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service disruption and traffic impacts.

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All other territories have no

significant updates in the last 24 hours.

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That wraps today's EM Morning Brief.

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New episodes drop Monday through

Friday in the 5:00 AM hour P.T.,

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so the day starts with

clarity instead of catch-up.

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Subscribe on the Emergency Management

Network on Substack, or follow

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on your favorite podcast player.

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EM Morning Brief is an EOC Voices Podcast.

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