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Super Typhoon Bavi Recovery Begins in the Marianas; Colorado's Aspen Acres Fire Destroys 263 Homes; Human Remains Found in Washington's Chelan Hills Fire
Episode 2087th July 2026 • EM Morning Brief • Brian Colburn
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Recovery operations begin across Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands after Category 5 Super Typhoon Bavi passes directly over Rota, leaving island-wide power outages, boil water notices, and roughly 500 residents in shelters as FEMA personnel support the response. The nation holds at Preparedness Level 4 with 35 large fires burning: Colorado’s Aspen Acres fire destroys 263 homes, Utah’s Cottonwood and Babylon fires each top 90,000 acres, and human remains are found in Washington’s Chelan Hills fire as Level 3 evacuations continue. Kilauea remains paused with the next episode forecast between July 9 and 13. 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

Super Typhoon Bavi (Guam and CNMI): The Category 5 storm passes directly over Rota with 180 mph winds. Island-wide power outages affect Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, boil water notices are in effect for Saipan and Rota, 517 people sought shelter, and a presidential emergency declaration for Guam authorizes FEMA Public Assistance. Damage assessments begin Tuesday.

National fire posture: Preparedness Level 4, 35 large fires, 274 new starts Monday, and evacuations on fires in three geographic areas. Critical fire weather with 7 to 20 percent humidity and 50 mph outflow gusts covers much of the Intermountain West.

Colorado: The Aspen Acres fire destroys 263 homes and four commercial buildings in Pueblo and Custer counties. Gunnison County issues new mandatory evacuations for the Gold Mountain fire southeast of Montrose.

Utah: The Cottonwood fire (95,807 acres, 47 percent) and Babylon fire (90,445 acres, 0 percent) remain the state’s largest incidents, with evacuation orders and pre-evacuation notices in effect.

Washington: The Chelan Hills fire near Orondo burns 9,735 acres at 0 percent containment with Level 3 Go Now evacuations, dozens of structures lost, and human remains found in a burned vehicle.

Hawaii: Kilauea’s eruption remains paused at Advisory alert level; episode 51 is forecast between July 9 and 13.

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Sources

Typhoon Bavi: Guam and CNMI

FEMA: President Donald J. Trump Approves Emergency Declaration for Guam

FEMA: Guam Typhoon Bavi (EM-3648-GU) disaster page

Guam Homeland Security: Emergency shelters open Sunday, July 5

Isla Public Radio: Islands remain under typhoon warning, governor to conduct initial damage assessment Tuesday

RNZ: No injuries reported as Super Typhoon Bavi leaves CNMI, recovery begins

Al Jazeera: Super Typhoon Bavi makes landfall on US Pacific islands

Wildfire national picture

NIFC: National Fire News, July 6, 2026

NIFC: Incident Management Situation Report, July 6, 2026

Volcano and tropics

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory: Kilauea update, July 6, 2026

National Hurricane Center: Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook

Arizona

Arizona Emergency Information Network: Pocket Fire update, containment nears 50 percent at 26,442 acres

Colorado

InciWeb: Aspen Acres Fire incident page

The Colorado Sun: Officials say 263 homes destroyed by Aspen Acres fire

CPR News: Gold Mountain fire, Gunnison County issues mandatory evacuation orders southeast of Montrose

Hawaii

USGS: Kilauea volcano updates

New Mexico

NM Fire Info: Sacaton Fire update for July 5, 2026

InciWeb: Sacaton Fire incident page

Oregon

East Oregonian: Fire on Umatilla Indian Reservation spans 2,300 to 2,500 acres

Apple Valley News Now: Level 1 evacuation notice in place for North Cayuse Fire in Umatilla County

Utah

InciWeb: Cottonwood Fire incident page

InciWeb: Babylon Fire incident page

Washington

KHQ: Human remains found in car burned by Chelan Hills Fire near Orondo

Transcripts

Speaker A:

Good morning.

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Recovery operations begin across the Mariana Islands after Super Typhoon Bavi, a Category 5 storm with sustained winds near 180 mph, passes directly over Rota and moves west of the region.

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Island wide power outages affect Saipan, Tinian and Rota boil water notices remain in effect for Saipan and Rota and roughly 500 people remain in emergency shelters across the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

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A Presidential Emergency Declaration For Guam approved July 3 ahead of landfall, authorizes FEMA emergency protective measures at 75% federal funding and about 240 federal personnel are positioned on Saipan to support response operations.

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Official declaration published ahead of landfall.

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Response reporting is current.

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The nation remains at Wildland fire preparedness level.

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Four firefighters are working to suppress 35 large fires, 274 new fires were reported nationwide on Monday and evacuations are in place on fires in three geographic areas.

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So far this year, 37,209 fires have burned more than 3.3 million acres.

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Two fuels and fire behavior advisories cover parts of Colorado, southern Wyoming, eastern Nevada, Utah and the Arizona strip, where minimum relative humidity of 7 to 20% and outflow.

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Wind gusts near 50 mph create conditions for rapid fire growth and new ignitions on the volcano and tropics front.

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Kilauea's summit eruption remains paused at advisory alert level with the next eruptive episode forecast between July 9 and 13.

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The National Hurricane center expects no Atlantic tropical cyclone formation during the next seven days.

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Let's run through the states.

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Alaska Eight large fires are burning 6,527 acres across the interior the Mud Fire southeast of Caltag, 1,033 acres the Michigan Fire west of Coldfoot and the Shaw Fire northeast of Delta Junction, 1,428 acres, the largest, all at 0% containment.

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Fire behavior on the Delta area fires is minimal.

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Arizona the Pocket fire north of Sedona holds at 26,442 acres with containment reaching 48%, per the state's July 6 update with 1,238 personnel assigned.

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Oak Creek Canyon between Sedona and Forest Highlands is downgraded to set status and State Route 89A remains closed from Sedona to Fort Toothhill except for residents.

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Southeast winds gusting to 45 mph are expected to align with Oak Creek Canyon.

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Colorado the Aspen Acres fire in Pueblo and Custer counties has destroyed 263 homes and four commercial buildings, the most destructive fire in the state this year.

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KnifeSea's Monday report lists the fire at 89,054 acres and 14% containment, while incident reporting places it above 91,000 acres.

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This brief favors the NIFC figure.

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Some evacuations on the southeast section are downgraded and firefighters saved homes in Wetmore.

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The Gold Mountain Fire near ouray grows to 27,698 acres at 3% containment and Gunnison county issues mandatory evacuation orders for a rural area southeast of Montrose, including the Bear Claw, Silver Jack, Eagle's Rest and Little Bighorn subdivisions.

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The Ferris Fire on the San Juan national forest stands at 47,780 acres and 21%, and the Willow Fire near Leadville is at 3,987 acres and 1%.

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Hawaii Kilauea's Halemaumau eruption remains paused after episode 50 ended June 27.

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Summit inflation stalled Monday morning and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory forecasts episode 51 between July 9 and 13.

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The alert level is advisory with a yellow aviation color code.

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Idaho the Shingle Creek Fire 6 miles southwest of Riggins, holds at 628 acres and 80% containment.

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Montana 2 large fires are active, the Deer Hollow Fire near Darby, 80% contained, and the Lost Cabin Fire south of Billings, 0%.

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ew Dutch Flat Fire is burning:

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Nine miles northeast of Winnemucca, the Grapevine Fire near Caliente reaches 95% containment at 26,464 acres and Parsnip Peak is 75% contained.

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New Mexico the Lightning Caused Sacken Fire in the Gila wilderness grows to 9,274 acres at 0% containment.

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Fifteen miles east of Glenwood, the community of Willow Creek is in GEO evacuation status and crews are building direct line to protect cabins in the Willow Creek subdivision.

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A portion of NM159 Bursum Road is closed between mile markers 12 and 22.

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About 150 firefighters are assigned.

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North Carolina the Rose Bay Canal Fire southwest of Fairfield holds at 662 acres and 83% containment.

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Oregon the North Cayuse Fire on the Umatilla Indian Reservation east of Pendleton is exhibiting extreme wind driven fire behavior with residences threatened.

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NIFC lists the fire at 4,000 acres and 9% containment, while local reporting places it near 2,300 to 2,500 acres.

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This brief favors the NIFC figure.

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Evacuations are downgraded to Level 1B ready after a weekend Level 3 order for the Buckaroo Lane area The Antelope Creek Fire, north of Antelope stands at 1,261 acres and 10%.

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Utah the Cottonwood Fire east of Beaver reaches 95,807 acres at 47% containment and the Babylon Fire southwest of Monticello stands at 90,445 acres at 0% containment as crews work control lines in difficult terrain.

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Evacuation orders and pre evacuation notices remain in effect near both fires.

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The Cherry Fire, 34,252 acres, and Wild Goose Fire, 12,638 acres, continue toward containment and the Snyder Fire west of Grand Junction, Colorado, is 95% contained.

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Washington the Chelin Hills Fire near Arondo in Douglas county stands at 9,735 acres and 0% containment.

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Level 3 Go now.

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Evacuation orders remain in effect.

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Dozens of homes and buildings have burned and sheriff's deputies confirm human remains found in a vehicle burned by the fire.

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An evacuation shelter is open at Chelin Elementary School.

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The New Navarre Coulee fire, southwest of Chelin is 80% contained at 300 acres.

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ew Twin Creek Fire is burning:

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Sixteen miles southeast of Lander, the Kinky Creek Fire in the Gros ventre wilderness reaches 87% containment at 880 acres and the West Bridger Creek Fire near Thermopolis is 70% contained.

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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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Guam Recovery operations are underway after Super Typhoon Bavi.

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A presidential emergency declaration authorizes FEMA to coordinate disaster relief and provide emergency protective measures under the Public assistance program at 75% federal funding emergency shelters opened ahead of the storm on July 5.

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r Rota, striking the island's:

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The mayor's office was among the buildings torn apart.

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Island wide power outages affect Saipan, Tinian and Rota Boil water notices remain in effect for Saipan and Rota and 517 people sought emergency shelter across the commonwealth.

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Initial reports indicate no injuries.

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The governor conducts initial damage assessments Tuesday and power restoration work begins after assessments are complete.

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All other territories and the District of Colombia 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 5am hour PT, so the day starts with clarity instead of catch up.

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Subscribe on the Emergency Management Network on substack or 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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