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CISA issues new cyber and ICS advisories
Episode 261 • 18th September 2026 • EM Morning Brief • Brian Colburn
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I report that the Floriston Fire on the California–Nevada line is the controlling incident, burning in heavy timber with long‑range spotting and wind‑driven runs and with structures and energy infrastructure threatened. Cal Fire lists the fire at 640 acres and 8 percent containment, and Interstate 80 is closed to westbound traffic at the Nevada state line while evacuations and warnings remain in effect in parts of Nevada and Sierra counties. We also note flash flooding in south‑central New Mexico around Ruidoso Downs, where local officials opened a shelter and advised residents in low‑lying areas to move to higher ground. On the cyber front, CISA published multiple industrial control system advisories and added three vulnerabilities to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog ahead of a federal remediation deadline. Nationally, wildfire activity sits at preparedness level three with 56 uncontained large fires and 12,047 personnel committed. I will continue to monitor these incidents and provide further updates each weekday morning.

Takeaways:

  • I report the Floriston Fire threatens structures and energy infrastructure, causing evacuations and road closures.
  • We note widespread wildfire activity nationally with fifty-six uncontained large fires and over twelve thousand personnel committed to response.
  • I describe significant flooding in New Mexico where three to five inches of rain caused rapid rises on the Rio Ruidoso, forcing local evacuations and shelter activation at Ruidoso Downs Senior Center.
  • We report multiple state incidents including earthquakes in Alaska, active volcanic unrest at Kilauea and Great Sitkin, and numerous regional fires such as the Lucas, Swiss Roll, and Dry River fires threatening communities and infrastructure.

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Sources

National

Alaska

Arkansas

California

Florida

Hawaii

Idaho

Nevada

New Mexico

West Virginia

Transcripts

Cedric:

Good morning, I'm Cedric and this is your EM Morning Brief

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for Friday, September 18, 2026.

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The Floriston Fire on the

California and Nevada line is the

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morning's controlling incident.

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Cal Fire holds the fire at 640 acres

with 8 percent containment, and

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Caltrans reports Interstate 80 closed

to westbound traffic at the Nevada

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state line as of 4:20 this morning, with

motorists directed to alternate routes.

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Evacuation orders and warnings

remain posted across parts of Nevada

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and Sierra counties in California.

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The fire is burning in heavy timber

in the Truckee River canyon with

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long range spotting and wind driven

runs, and structures and energy

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infrastructure are threatened.

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Flash flooding hit south central

New Mexico Thursday afternoon.

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Lincoln County emergency officials issued

a local area emergency for Ruidoso Downs

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after flooding was observed along the Rio

Ruidoso, told residents in low lying areas

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to move to higher ground, and opened the

Ruidoso Downs Senior Center as shelter.

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The National Weather Service in

Albuquerque followed at:

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with a flood warning for southeastern

Lincoln and west central Chaves counties

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that runs until 2:15 this afternoon.

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On the cyber side, CISA published

seven new industrial control system

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advisories Thursday plus one update,

including Hitachi Energy's FACTS Control

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Platform, three Schneider Electric

products, and ABB Ability Edgenius.

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An official update published about 41

hours ago added three vulnerabilities

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to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

catalog, covering Google Pixel,

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Cisco Identity Services Engine and

Acronis Backup, with the federal

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remediation deadline falling tomorrow.

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Nationally, wildfire activity

sits at Preparedness Level 3

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with 56 uncontained large fires

and 12,047 personnel committed.

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Let's run through the states.

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Alaska.

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A magnitude 6.5

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earthquake struck 165 kilometers

west of Nikolski in the Aleutians at

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6:19 Thursday morning Alaska time.

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The National Tsunami Warning

Center issued a tsunami information

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statement four minutes later, the

category it uses when an earthquake

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does not pose a tsunami threat.

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The Alaska Volcano Observatory kept

Great Sitkin at Watch and aviation color

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code Orange, where slow lava eruption

within the summit crater continues

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alongside weak seismicity, and kept

Shishaldin at Advisory and Yellow on

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continuing low level seismic unrest.

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In the Interior, the National Weather

Service in Fairbanks has a flood advisory

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running for the upper Chena River

valley, Two Rivers and the Fairbanks

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metro area into Saturday morning.

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Arkansas.

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The Bunker Fire east of East Camden

in south Arkansas reached 2,832

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acres at 65 percent containment,

a growth of 882 acres in a day.

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Evacuations and area and road

closures are in effect, and

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numerous structures are threatened

in the timber and southern rough.

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Fire behavior is moderate with backing

and flanking, thirty personnel and

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one engine are assigned, and damage to

date is estimated at 200,000 dollars.

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Local reporting Thursday put the burned

area at more than four square miles.

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California.

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Beyond the Floriston Fire, the Lucas

Fire in Lake and Mendocino counties

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reached 67 percent containment on 4,128

acres in a Cal Fire update posted at

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4:51 this morning, with evacuations

and area, road and trail closures still

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in place and numerous residences and

critical infrastructure threatened.

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In Yosemite National Park, the Dome Fire a

mile north of Wawona is at 1,177 acres and

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10 percent containment with trail closures

in effect, and a California incident

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management team is mobilizing to it.

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On the central coast, the Timber

Fire southeast of Big Sur stands

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at 25,435 acres and 59 percent

containment, with area, road and

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trail closures continuing and

communication infrastructure threatened.

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Colorado.

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The Swiss Roll Fire east of Pagosa Springs

is at 775 acres with zero containment

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and energy infrastructure threatened,

and the Elk Fire northwest of Lake

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City is at 7,257 acres and 73 percent,

both with road and trail closures.

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Florida.

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Groveland's precautionary boil

water notice covering roughly 5,000

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residents stood through Thursday

after a control system failure at the

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Sunshine Water Treatment Plant dropped

system pressure, and the city expects

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to lift it once sampling clears.

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Hawaii.

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The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory holds

Kilauea at Watch and aviation color

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code Orange after the summit's new

vents stagnated overnight Wednesday.

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All six vents had ceased erupting by

8:30 in the evening, glow continued

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from the north, south and west

vents through the night, and a minor

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summit deflation began around 5 p.m.

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with tremor bursts becoming the

dominant seismic signal by morning.

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The observatory reports the next

eruptive episode as potentially imminent.

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Hazards in the ongoing eruption

include volcanic gas and vog, tephra

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such as Pele's hair carried downwind,

and unstable crater rim ground.

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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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Idaho.

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The National Weather Service in Boise

has fire weather watches running through

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this evening for the Owyhee Mountains

and the Boise National Forest zones,

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the new Cole Fire south of Boise is

at 417 acres with no containment, and

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a flash flood watch covers the Upper

Snake River Plain through tonight.

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Montana.

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The Sand Creek Fire east of Wisdom is at

35,520 acres and 58 percent containment

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with structures and communication

infrastructure threatened and area,

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road and trail closures in effect.

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Nevada.

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Evacuation notices covering the

corridor from Quilici to Verdi were

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lifted at 9:11 Thursday morning as

the Floriston Fire moved north away

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from the community, and residents were

pointed to the county evacuation map.

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Warnings and orders remain posted

elsewhere in Washoe County and across the

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state line in Nevada and Sierra counties.

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New Mexico.

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The Albuquerque flood warning for

southeastern Lincoln and west central

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Chaves counties reports 3 to 5 inches

of rain already down, with flood waters

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in Whitetail Canyon flowing into the Rio

Felix overnight and flooding expected at

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low water crossings along Picacho Road

and the Rio Felix through this afternoon.

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Forecasters warn of up to another

half inch of rain in the warned area.

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Lincoln County's local area emergency

for Ruidoso Downs was in force from

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3:47 to 7:47 Thursday evening, with

rapidly rising water on the Rio Ruidoso

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reaching roadways and low lying areas.

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A separate flood advisory covered

Santa Fe early this morning.

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Oklahoma.

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The Gracemont Fire east of Binger

on Anadarko Agency land is at 2,665

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acres and 20 percent containment

with 31 structures lost, active fire

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behavior with running and isolated

torching, and 174 personnel assigned.

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Texas.

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The Dry River Fire southeast of Sonora in

Sutton County grew 3,500 acres in a single

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operational period to 7,000 acres at 25

percent containment, with extreme fire

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behavior including spotting and running.

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Residences and energy infrastructure

are threatened and road closures

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are in effect, with 113 personnel

and 13 engines assigned.

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In Bosque County, the Hydra Fire

south of Meridian is at 1,100 acres

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and 25 percent containment with

numerous structures threatened and 168

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personnel and 25 engines committed.

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On the upper coast, the Star Lake

Fire on the McFaddin National

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Wildlife Refuge holds at 16,412

acres and 70 percent containment.

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Washington.

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In Kittitas County, the Three Queens

Fire east of Snoqualmie Pass is at

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9,558 acres and 23 percent containment

with evacuations in effect and numerous

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residences and critical infrastructure

threatened, and the Goat Fire north

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of Ronald is at 815 acres and 41

percent with evacuations also in place.

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North of Stehekin, the Sisi Fire

grew 227 acres to 3,676 acres at 5

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percent containment with residences

and energy infrastructure threatened.

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Command of the Little Giant Fire,

172,705 acres at 81 percent, transfers

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between incident management teams today.

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West Virginia.

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Governor Patrick Morrisey declared a

State of Emergency for Mason County

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on Thursday following severe storms

and flooding that began September 10.

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The 30 day declaration cites riverbank

erosion along the Ohio River,

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landslide damage to infrastructure,

and a closed railroad track,

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and directs state resources to

stabilize the sites in coordination

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with local and federal partners.

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Wyoming.

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The Moonshine Fire southwest of

Wheatland is at 7,316 acres and 51

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percent containment with residences

threatened and two structures lost,

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and 172 personnel remain assigned.

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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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Follow on your favorite podcast player.

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EM Morning Brief is an EOC Voices Podcast.

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Stay Safe.

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