Artwork for podcast EM Morning Brief
Nevada declares emergency as Reno area fires force 6,000 evacuations; Hawaii watches likely Central Pacific tropical cyclone
Episode 233 • 11th August 2026 • EM Morning Brief • Brian Colburn
00:00:00 00:11:43

Share Episode

Shownotes

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declares a state of emergency as the Bug and Fred Mountain fires force more than 6,000 evacuations north of Reno, while the nation holds at Preparedness Level 5 with 98 uncontained large fires and extreme fire behavior on Washington’s Little Giant Fire and Oregon’s Wrights Spring Fire. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center gives a disturbance east southeast of Hawaii a 90 percent chance of development, CISA and the FBI publish a joint advisory on Gunra ransomware, and forecasters warn of impactful flash flooding in the Ohio Valley. Plus storm driven power outages in Ohio, Virginia, and Maryland, a boil water advisory in South Carolina, and Wyoming’s largest fire of the year on South Pass. 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

• Nevada state of emergency: Governor Lombardo declares an emergency for portions of Washoe County and the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony as the Bug Fire (17,000 acres, 4 percent) and Fred Mountain Fire (3,481 acres, 0 percent) force more than 6,000 evacuations, close eight schools, and threaten water, power, gas, airport, and telecom infrastructure.

• National fire picture: The nation remains at Preparedness Level 5 with 98 uncontained large fires and 29,840 personnel assigned; the Northwest holds 46 uncontained large fires, with extreme behavior on the Little Giant Fire in Washington (111,429 acres, 2 percent, 26 structures destroyed) and the Wrights Spring Fire in Oregon.

• Oregon FMAGs: FEMA approves Fire Management Assistance Grants for the Wrights Spring and Hagen fires, Oregon’s sixth and seventh of 2026, as Level 3 evacuations continue around Sprague River and Chiloquin.

• Hawaii tropical watch: A Central Pacific disturbance about 1,100 miles east southeast of the islands has a 90 percent chance of development over seven days, with a depression expected by midweek; interests in Hawaii should monitor closely.

• Cyber: CISA, the FBI, and partners release joint advisory AA26-222A on Gunra ransomware, a double extortion variant exploiting exposed VPN gateways, firewalls, and RDP across critical infrastructure sectors.

• Severe weather: Impactful flash flooding is possible in the Ohio Valley with 2 to 4 more inches of rain, damaging winds are expected across northern Illinois and the Ohio Valley, and an Extreme Heat Warning covers the St. Louis metro through Wednesday evening.

• Storm outages: Monday storms cut power to tens of thousands in Northeast Ohio, more than 28,000 Appalachian Power customers in Virginia, and more than 25,500 BGE customers in Maryland; Hopewell, Virginia schools close Tuesday.

• Wyoming: The Weiser Knoll Fire on South Pass becomes the state’s largest of 2026 at an estimated 13,350 acres with evacuations in the Twin Creek drainage.

Sponsors

B. Colburn Coaching

Book a discovery call today - https://calendly.com/briancolburn/virtual-coffee

Wild Tone Labs

Visit online - https://wildtonelabs.com/

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

Descript, Edit video by editing text - https://link.bcolburn.com/DB-Descript

ESET, Cyber Security Progress. Protected. - https://refer.eset.com/hip7r

Sources

NIFC and Wildfire

• NIFC National Fire News, August 10, 2026: PL 5, 98 uncontained large fires, state by state large fire summary

Tropical Weather

• Central Pacific Hurricane Center Tropical Weather Outlook: disturbance east southeast of Hawaii

• NHC Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook: low southwest of Cabo Verde Islands

CISA

• Joint advisory AA26-222A, StopRansomware: Gunra Ransomware (August 10, 2026)

NWS and Weather

• WPC Short Range Forecast Discussion: Ohio Valley flash flood concern, heat from Central Plains to Southeast

USGS

• USGS event page: M4.6 offshore Sand Point, Alaska, August 11, 2026

• HVO daily update: Kilauea Episode 53 fountaining forecast window August 12 to 15

• AVO update: Great Sitkin continues slow summit lava eruption at Watch and Orange

California

• CBS San Francisco: Timber Fire near Big Sur, evacuation order includes Ventana Inn area

• CBS Sacramento: Bug Fire on California-Nevada border, Lassen and Sierra county evacuations

Hawaii

• Hawaii News Now: tracking possible tropical cyclone heading toward the state

Maryland

• CBS Baltimore: storms bring heavy rain, damaging winds, tornado warning, BGE outages

Minnesota

• Minnesota News Network: BWCA campsite reopening, Camp and Bear Trap containment

• InciWeb: July 2026 Superior NF wildfires

Missouri

• NWS St. Louis Extreme Heat Warning through Wednesday evening

Nevada

• Nevada Current: Lombardo declares state of emergency for Washoe fires

• KOLO: Red Rock evacuation warnings upgraded to orders, shelter and school closures

New Mexico

• Los Alamos Reporter: Frijoles Fire morning update, 3,290 acres, 0 percent containment

• Source NM: health officials warn of smoke impacts as Frijoles Fire grows

Ohio

• WKYC: power outages across Northeast Ohio after severe thunderstorms

Oregon

• KDRV: FEMA approves funding for the Wrights Spring Fire

• Jefferson Public Radio: Wrights Spring Fire evacuations in Klamath County

• InciWeb: Wrights Spring Fire

South Carolina

• WRDW: boil water advisory for parts of Clearwater and North Augusta after main break

Texas

• KFDM: storms knock out power to thousands in Jefferson County

• Texas Storm Chasers: Panhandle fire danger and statewide heat

Virginia

• WDBJ7: over 28,000 Appalachian Power customers without power

• WTVR: Hopewell storm damage, schools closed Tuesday

Washington

• KPQ: Little Giant Fire update, structures threatened, Lake Chelan evacuations

• KING 5: Little Giant Fire destroys 26 structures including 2 homes

• Chelan County Emergency Management: active emergencies and evacuation levels

Wyoming

• WyoFile: Weiser Knoll Fire explodes on South Pass, Wyoming’s largest of 2026

• County 10: Level 2 evacuation notice for Johnnie Lee’s Corner and Twin Creek drainage

Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands

• Local 10: Atlantic looks to break its silence this week

Transcripts

Cedric:

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

2

:

for Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

3

:

The nation remains at

Preparedness Level 5.

4

:

The National Interagency Fire Center

reports 101 new fires nationwide

5

:

Sunday, including nine new large

fires, and crews are working to

6

:

contain 98 uncontained large fires

with 29,840 personnel assigned.

7

:

The Northwest is the most active area

in the country with 46 uncontained

8

:

large fires, and the Wrights Spring

Fire in Oregon and the Little Giant

9

:

Fire in Washington are exhibiting

extreme fire behavior with evacuations,

10

:

road closures, and threats to

homes and critical infrastructure.

11

:

Year to date, 46,064 fires

have burned more than 6.3

12

:

million acres, well above

the 10 year average.

13

:

New fuels and fire behavior advisories

are in effect for Southwest Idaho and

14

:

for Eastern Nevada into Central Utah.

15

:

In the tropics, the Central Pacific

Hurricane Center is monitoring a

16

:

disturbance about 1,100 miles east

southeast of Hawaii with a 90 percent

17

:

chance of development over seven days.

18

:

A tropical depression or tropical

storm is expected to form by midweek,

19

:

and interests in the Hawaiian Islands

should closely monitor its progress.

20

:

In the Atlantic, a low southwest

of the Cabo Verde Islands carries

21

:

a 70 percent chance of becoming a

tropical depression later this week.

22

:

On the cyber front, CISA, the FBI, and

domestic and international partners

23

:

publish a joint StopRansomware

advisory on Gunra ransomware, a double

24

:

extortion variant built from leaked

Conti code that is compromising exposed

25

:

VPN gateways, firewall appliances,

and remote desktop services across

26

:

healthcare, utilities, government,

manufacturing, and other sectors.

27

:

Forecasters are watching the Ohio Valley

for impactful flash flooding today,

28

:

with another 2 to 4 inches of rain

possible over areas already inundated

29

:

Monday, and an active severe weather

day with damaging winds expected across

30

:

northern Illinois and the Ohio Valley.

31

:

Heat advisories stretch from the

Central Plains to the Southeast, and

32

:

an Extreme Heat Warning covers the St.

33

:

Louis metro through Wednesday evening.

34

:

In Alaska, a magnitude 4.6

35

:

earthquake strikes offshore

about 60 miles south southeast

36

:

of Sand Point early Tuesday.

37

:

At Kilauea, the observatory forecasts

the next lava fountaining episode

38

:

between Wednesday and Saturday.

39

:

Let’s run through the states.

40

:

Alaska: A magnitude 4.6

41

:

earthquake strikes at 12:49 a.m.

42

:

local time Tuesday about 60 miles

south southeast of Sand Point

43

:

in the Aleutians, the only U.S.

44

:

quake of magnitude 4.5

45

:

or greater in the last 24 hours.

46

:

At Great Sitkin, the slow eruption of

lava in the summit crater continues

47

:

at alert level Watch and aviation

code Orange, with minor earthquakes

48

:

tied to rockfall on the growing dome.

49

:

California: The Timber Fire in Los Padres

National Forest near Big Sur grows to

50

:

1,723 acres at 5 percent containment

Monday afternoon, and Monterey County

51

:

upgrades an evacuation warning to an order

that now includes the Ventana Inn area.

52

:

On the Nevada border, mandatory

evacuation orders remain in effect for

53

:

zones in Lassen and Sierra counties as

the Bug Fire pushes past 16,000 acres.

54

:

Separately, the new Antelope Fire

burns 2,410 acres northeast of

55

:

Shandon in San Luis Obispo County

per the national fire report.

56

:

Hawaii: Emergency managers and

residents should monitor the Central

57

:

Pacific disturbance about 1,100

miles east southeast of the islands,

58

:

which has a 90 percent chance

of development over seven days.

59

:

A tropical depression is expected to

form by midweek as the system moves

60

:

generally northwestward, with potential

late week impacts that remain uncertain.

61

:

Maryland: Strong storms cross the state

Monday afternoon, and the National Weather

62

:

Service issues a tornado warning for

parts of the Baltimore metro, including

63

:

northern Baltimore City and portions of

Carroll, Howard, and Baltimore counties.

64

:

More than 25,500 BGE customers are without

power by Monday evening, with trees and

65

:

power lines down; a storm survey will

determine whether a tornado touched down.

66

:

Minnesota: The Superior National

Forest reports reopening progress in

67

:

the Boundary Waters, with more than

1,500 of roughly 2,000 campsites,

68

:

about 73 percent of the wilderness,

expected to be open by Thursday.

69

:

The Camp Fire is now 84 percent

contained and the Bear Trap Fire

70

:

41 percent contained, with more

than 760 personnel still assigned

71

:

to the July Lightning fires.

72

:

Missouri: The National

Weather Service in St.

73

:

Louis issues an Extreme Heat Warning

Monday afternoon, in effect through 8 p.m.

74

:

Wednesday for the St.

75

:

Louis metro, including the

Metro East in Illinois.

76

:

Cooling center information for the region

is available through United Way 211.

77

:

Nevada: Governor Joe Lombardo declares

a state of emergency Monday for portions

78

:

of Washoe County and the Reno-Sparks

Indian Colony as the Bug Fire and Fred

79

:

Mountain Fire expand north of Reno.

80

:

More than 6,000 people are evacuated

with thousands more in warning zones, and

81

:

officials say threatened infrastructure

includes schools, power lines, natural

82

:

gas lines, a water treatment facility,

a local airport, and telecom sites.

83

:

As of Monday afternoon the Bug

Fire is 17,000 acres at 4 percent

84

:

containment and the Fred Mountain Fire

is 3,481 acres with no containment.

85

:

Evacuation warnings in the Red Rock

area are upgraded to orders, Hungry

86

:

Valley is evacuated, and eight

Washoe County schools close Monday.

87

:

Evacuees can get assistance at the Evelyn

Mount Community Center at:

88

:

Road in Reno, and livestock can go to

the Reno-Sparks Livestock Event Center.

89

:

We have more to cover this morning,

but first, a quick word from the

90

:

sponsor supporting today’s episode.

91

:

Thanks for supporting the sponsors who

help make EM Morning Brief possible.

92

:

Now, back to this morning’s updates.

93

:

New Mexico: The lightning caused Frijoles

Fire in the Pecos Wilderness of the

94

:

Santa Fe National Forest grows to 3,290

acres with no containment per Monday

95

:

morning’s update, burning in steep terrain

about 3 miles southeast of Cundiyó.

96

:

No evacuation orders are in place, but

Santa Fe County puts Cundiyó and Cerro

97

:

Piñon residents on Ready status, and state

health officials warn of smoke impacts.

98

:

Ohio: A line of powerful thunderstorms

sweeps Northeast Ohio Monday morning,

99

:

downing trees and power lines and leaving

tens of thousands without power, including

100

:

more than 27,000 FirstEnergy customers

in Cuyahoga County at midmorning.

101

:

A century old building collapses

in East Cleveland, and the utility

102

:

reports likely storm damage to

a substation in Sheffield Lake.

103

:

Oregon: FEMA approves Fire Management

Assistance Grants for the Wrights

104

:

Spring Fire and the Hagen Fire, the

state’s sixth and seventh of the

105

:

year, covering up to 75 percent of

eligible firefighting costs (official

106

:

update published about 36 hours ago).

107

:

On the Wrights Spring Fire near

Sprague River and Chiloquin, Level

108

:

3 Go Now evacuations remain in

effect for multiple Klamath County

109

:

zones, with large animal sheltering

at the Klamath County Fairgrounds.

110

:

NIFC’s Monday report lists the

fire at 33,970 acres with no

111

:

containment, while local reporting

Monday placed it near 47,000 acres.

112

:

The Hagen Fire east of Pendleton stands at

46,527 acres and 11 percent containment.

113

:

South Carolina: A precautionary boil water

advisory remains in effect for Breezy Hill

114

:

Water and Sewer customers in neighborhoods

of Clearwater and North Augusta in

115

:

Aiken County after an unexpected water

main break (official notice issued

116

:

Sunday afternoon, about 40 hours ago).

117

:

Bacteriological samples are being

tested, and the advisory stays in

118

:

place until officially repealed.

119

:

Texas: Late morning and early afternoon

thunderstorms Monday knock out power

120

:

to more than 4,000 Entergy customers in

Jefferson County in the Beaumont area.

121

:

Extreme fire danger continues in

the Panhandle with very high fire

122

:

danger into Northwest and North

Texas amid triple digit heat.

123

:

Virginia: Severe storms Monday

evening cut power to more than 28,000

124

:

Appalachian Power customers in southwest

and central Virginia, concentrated

125

:

in Bedford County, Roanoke City, and

Roanoke County, with most restoration

126

:

expected by the end of Tuesday.

127

:

In the Tri-Cities, storm damage and

outages prompt Hopewell City Public

128

:

Schools to close Tuesday, with

roughly 2,900 households without

129

:

power in Hopewell late Monday.

130

:

The same line drops trees and cuts power

to nearly 2,500 customers in Arlington.

131

:

Washington: The Little Giant Fire

northwest of Leavenworth stands at

132

:

111,429 acres and 2 percent containment

with nearly 2,000 structures threatened;

133

:

reporting confirms 26 structures

destroyed, including two homes.

134

:

Level 3 Go Now evacuations cover

the north shore of Lake Chelan from

135

:

Deer Point Campground to Safety

Harbor Campground, and a Red Cross

136

:

shelter is operating at 324 E.

137

:

Johnson Avenue in Chelan.

138

:

Statewide, about 30 active wildfires have

burned more than 548,000 acres with more

139

:

than 8,000 personnel deployed, including

the Sinlahekin Fire at 141,411 acres and

140

:

the Kaiser Canyon Fire at 138,235 acres.

141

:

Wyoming: The Weiser Knoll Fire on South

Pass in Fremont County becomes the state’s

142

:

largest fire of 2026, growing to an

estimated 13,350 acres with no containment

143

:

by Monday afternoon (NIFC’s Monday morning

national report listed 3,000 acres).

144

:

An evacuation order covers the Twin Creek

drainage east of Wyoming Highway 28,

145

:

a Level 2 notice covers residents from

Johnnie Lee’s Corner east through the

146

:

drainage, and roads in the South Pass

area are closed as a Type 3 incident

147

:

management team with about 85 personnel

and multiple aircraft takes the fire.

148

:

All other states have no significant

updates in the last 24 hours.

149

:

Let’s check the territories.

150

:

Puerto Rico and U.S.

151

:

Virgin Islands: Emergency managers should

watch the Atlantic low southwest of the

152

:

Cabo Verde Islands, which carries a 70

percent chance of development over seven

153

:

days and could track toward the northeast

Caribbean late this week, though dry

154

:

air and shear may limit strengthening.

155

:

NIFC also notes continued hot,

dry, and breezy conditions

156

:

across Puerto Rico and the U.S.

157

:

Virgin Islands, elevating

fire weather concerns.

158

:

All other territories and the District

of Columbia have no significant

159

:

updates in the last 24 hours.

160

:

That wraps today’s EM Morning Brief.

161

:

New episodes drop Monday through

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

162

:

so the day starts with

clarity instead of catch-up.

163

:

Subscribe on the Emergency Management

Network on Substack, or follow

164

:

on your favorite podcast player.

165

:

EM Morning Brief is an EOC Voices Podcast.

166

:

Stay Safe.

Links

Chapters

Video

More from YouTube