Today’s brief leads with the Western wildfire crisis, where the National Interagency Fire Center holds the nation at Preparedness Level 3 amid roughly 45 uncontained large fires and extremely critical fire weather across the southern Intermountain West. Utah carries the heaviest load, with the Cottonwood Fire now the nation’s largest active wildfire near 92,000 acres, the Iron and Cherry fires driving evacuations, and a statewide emergency and fireworks restrictions in effect. We also track a prolonged, dangerous heat episode building across the central and eastern United States ahead of the July Fourth holiday, severe storm and flash flood risks in the Plains and Mid-Atlantic, tropical monitoring in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, and state-level items including a Virginia boil water notice. 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 wildfire posture: NIFC holds the country at Preparedness Level 3 with roughly 45 uncontained large fires; extremely critical fire weather grips northern Arizona, eastern Utah, western Colorado, and far northwestern New Mexico.

• Utah leads the crisis: The Cottonwood Fire is the nation’s largest active wildfire near 92,000 acres at zero containment; the Iron Fire is about 40,800 acres and 38 percent contained; the Cherry Fire has grown past 30,000 acres and is forcing mandatory evacuations for Mammoth, Silver City, Eureka, and Tintic Junction. A statewide emergency and fireworks restrictions remain in effect through July 5.

• Active evacuations elsewhere: Arizona’s Pocket Fire keeps Oak Creek Canyon under orders north of Sedona; California crews responded to a Butte County grass fire near Paradise, with Big Bear public safety power shutoffs in place.

• Dangerous heat building: Tens of millions are under heat alerts; extreme heat warnings and advisories span the Upper Midwest (Minnesota), the Mid-South (Tennessee), and the Northeast (New York), with heat index values up to 105 to 110 degrees later this week.

• Lifelines and water: A boil water notice is in effect for parts of Alleghany County, Virginia after a main break; Rocky Mountain Power issued public safety power shutoff watches and warnings for parts of central, southern, and eastern Utah.

• Watch items: Slight risks for severe thunderstorms in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest and for excessive rainfall in the Mid-Atlantic and Tennessee Valley; the National Hurricane Center monitors low to medium development chances in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, with no coastal warnings in effect.

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Sources

NIFC and National Fire Activity

• NIFC Incident Management Situation Report: national preparedness level, fire counts, and incident details

• NIFC National Fire News: current national wildfire overview

Heat

• NWS Weather Prediction Center HeatRisk: national heat hazard outlook

• NBC News: dangerous heat wave ahead of July Fourth, with historic highs possible

Severe Weather and Tropical

• NWS Storm Prediction Center Day 2 Convective Outlook: severe thunderstorm risk areas

• NHC Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook: Atlantic and Eastern Pacific development chances

• NHC Atlantic Tropical Weather Discussion: current basin discussion

Utah

• CBS News and AP: Utah declares emergency, limits fireworks as crews battle the largest U.S. wildfire

• ABC4: Cottonwood Fire update and acreage

• KUTV: Iron Fire growth and containment

Arizona

• NIFC Incident Management Situation Report: Pocket and Sycamore fire details

California

• CBS News Los Angeles: Big Bear public safety power shutoffs amid wildfire risk

• CBS News Sacramento: Butte County grass fire prompts evacuation activity near Paradise

Colorado

• CBS News Colorado: Dry Creek Fire reaches 90 percent containment south of Rifle

Florida, Idaho, North Carolina, Washington, Wyoming, Nevada, New Mexico, Alaska

• NIFC Incident Management Situation Report: state-by-state large incident details

Minnesota

• FOX 9 Minneapolis: extreme heat warning issued for June 29, 2026

New York

• NBC News: heat wave ahead of July Fourth, Northeast heat watch detail

Tennessee

• NewsChannel 5 Nashville: dangerous heat moving into the Mid-South

Virginia

• WDBJ7: new boil water notice issued for Alleghany County neighborhoods

Good morning.

The Western Wildfire crisis leads the nation this morning.

The National Interagency Fire center holds the country at preparedness level 3 with roughly 45 uncontained large fires and light initial attack activity reported in the most recent National Situation Report.

The Southern Intermountain west remains the epicenter where extremely critical fire Weather.

Southwest winds gusting 30-60 mph and relative humidity in the single digits drives extreme fire behavior across northern Arizona, eastern Utah, western Colorado and far northwestern New Mexico.

Utah carries the heaviest load.

The Cottonwood Fire near Beaver is the nation's largest active wildfire at an estimated 92,000 acres and and zero containment, and the state remains under a state of emergency with temporary fireworks restrictions in effect through July 5th.

A second major story is heat.

Tens of millions of people are under National Weather Service heat alerts as a prolonged dangerous heat episode builds across the central and eastern United States ahead of the July 4th holiday.

Extreme heat warnings and advisories are in effect or issued from the upper Midwest into the mid south and the Northeast, with heat index values forecast to reach 105 to 110 degrees in several metro areas later this week.

The Southwest, including Phoenix and Las Vegas, is already running near or above 100 degrees.

Hazard watching rounds out the national picture.

The Storm Prediction center carries a slight risk of severe thunderstorms over the Northern Plains and parts of the upper Midwest, with damaging wind, hail and a few tornadoes possible, while the Weather Prediction center flags a slight risk of excessive rainfall and localized flash flooding across parts of the Mid Atlantic and Tennessee Valley.

In the tropics, the National Hurricane center is monitoring a weak system expected to develop slowly off the southeast US coast and a disorganized tropical wave in the eastern Pacific, both with low to medium development chances over the next several days.

No coastal warnings are in effect.

Let's run through the states.

Alaska the Alaska area sits at preparedness level 3 with multiple uncontained large fires across the interior.

The Sterry Fire near Anderson and the Elliott Complex northwest of Minto both threaten structures and infrastructure with area closures in effect, though recent precipitation has moderated behavior.

Newer starts in the Galena zone, including the Mud and Killoo Siktak fires threaten communication infrastructure.

Arizona the Pocket Fire north of Sedona continues to keep Oak Creek Canyon under evacuation orders with area road and trail closures in effect and numerous structures threatened.

The Sycamore Fire north of globe is at 37% containment and threatens structures and energy infrastructure.

Critical fire weather and heat near 100 degrees persist statewide.

Critical to extreme fire weather continues across Southern California and the deserts with new ignitions reported and red flag conditions in play.

Bear Valley Electric implemented public safety power shutoffs in the Big Bear area to reduce ignition risk, and Cal Fire crews responded to a grass fire that prompted evacuation activity in Butte county near Paradise.

Western Colorado remains under critical fire weather.

Crews reached roughly 90 to 100% containment on the Dry Creek Fire in Garfield county south of Rifle, and no new large incidents were reported in the Rocky Mountain area overnight.

Florida the rookery fire near DeLand is holding at about 60% containment with minimal behavior with multiple brush fires active statewide.

Officials are urging residents to leave fireworks to professional displays ahead of the holiday.

Idaho the Shingle Creek Fire southwest of Riggins is at 36% containment with numerous structures threatened and area road and trail closures in effect.

A complex incident management team remains assigned.

Minnesota an extreme heat warning is in effect across parts of central and southern Minnesota from Monday morning into Tuesday with temperatures in the 90s and heat index values up to 110 degrees.

Residents are urged to limit outdoor exposure and check on vulnerable neighbors.

Nevada Several uncontained large fires burn in the Ely District, including the Grapevine Fire southeast of Caliente, and the Dry Canyon and Parsnip Peak fires near Pioche, all showing active to extreme behavior with area closures in effect.

Critical fire weather continues and Las Vegas is running near 100 degrees.

New Mexico the McAuley Springs fire in the Jimez Mountains northeast of Jimenez Springs threatens numerous residences with area road and trail closures in effect.

Forest officials have closed campgrounds and trails near the fire.

The Canyon Venado fire east of Klein's Corners threatens energy infrastructure.

New York an extreme heat watch is issued for New York City and surrounding counties from Wednesday afternoon through Friday evening with heat index values forecast between 105 and 110 degrees.

Cooling and outreach planning is advised ahead of the event.

North Carolina the Rose Bay Canal Fire southwest of Fairfield is at about 83% containment with minimal behavior.

Dangerous heat is forecast to build across the state later in the week with highs approaching 100 degrees.

Tennessee Most of the Mid south is under a heat advisory with an extreme heat watch in effect from Monday into Thursday.

As prolonged heat and humidity settle in, officials advise hydration and limiting strenuous outdoor activity.

Utah Carries the most severe fire situation in the country.

The Cottonwood Fire near Beaver is the nation's largest active wildfire at an estimated 92,000 acres and zero containment after extreme behavior and grounded air support over the weekend.

The Iron Fire near eureka is about 40,800 acres and 38% contained, and the newer Cherry Fire southwest of Santaquin has grown past 30,000 acres at zero containment, driving mandatory evacuations for Mammoth, Silver City, Eureka and Tintic Junction.

The state remains under a state of emergency with fireworks restrictions in effect through July 5th and Rocky Mountain Power issued public safety power shutoff watches and warnings for parts of central, southern and eastern Utah.

Virginia A boil water notice is in effect for several neighborhoods in Allegheny county following a mainline water leak that caused a complete loss of water.

Affected residents should use boiled or bottled water for drinking, cooking and ice until the notice is lifted.

Washington the Cardar Fire southeast of OMAC is at about 95% containment with no new significant activity reported.

The northwest area remains at preparedness level.

2.

Wyoming the kinky Creek Fire in the Bridger Teton National Forest northwest of Cora threatens residences with moderate behavior and area closures in effect.

Far southern Wyoming remains under elevated to critical fire weather.

All other states and territories have no significant updates in the last 24 hours.

That wraps today's EM Morning Brief.

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