Shownotes
Today’s brief covers the published Presidential major disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands following Super Typhoon Sinlaku, the FEMA Alaska recovery update on Typhoon Halong, and CISA’s addition of two actively exploited vulnerabilities (ConnectWise ScreenConnect and Microsoft Windows Shell) to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Wildfire activity in southern Georgia and northern Florida continues to drive Southern Area resourcing at PL 4, and critical fire weather is in place across eastern New Mexico, far western Texas, and the southern High Plains. Tornado damage assessments continue in Tennessee and Illinois, Michigan expanded its flooding state of emergency to 41 counties, and a M4.4 earthquake near Alamo, Nevada produced felt reports into Las Vegas. 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
• CNMI major disaster declared: FEMA-4910-DR for Super Typhoon Sinlaku was published in the Federal Register yesterday; covers incident period April 11 to April 18, 2026.
• CISA KEV update: Two actively exploited vulnerabilities added: ConnectWise ScreenConnect (CVE-2024-1708) and Microsoft Windows Shell spoofing (CVE-2026-32202). Federal remediation deadline May 12, 2026.
• Southern wildfires: Brantley Highway 82 Fire in Georgia at 32 percent containment with 80 plus homes destroyed; Clinch and Echols fire at 23 percent containment over 50 plus square miles; Florida Gun Range and Sand Drain fires under continued USFS warning.
• Critical fire weather: Red Flag and Critical Fire Weather conditions today for eastern New Mexico, far western Texas, southern High Plains, and portions of eastern Colorado.
• Texas disaster declaration: Governor Abbott declared disaster for Lamar, Parker, and Wise counties; TDEM mobilized swiftwater rescue and debris teams; Mineral Wells continues recovery from Tuesday’s EF3 tornado.
• Michigan emergency expanded: Whitmer added Tuscola County and the Village of Holly to the existing flooding state of emergency; 41 counties and three municipalities now covered.
Sponsors
The NIMS Store - https://thenimsstore.com/
Sources
CISA
• CISA KEV catalog (April 29, 2026), ConnectWise ScreenConnect and Windows flaws added: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• Security Affairs, CISA adds Microsoft Windows Shell and ConnectWise ScreenConnect flaws to KEV: https://securityaffairs.com/191442/security/u-s-cisa-adds-microsoft-windows-shell-and-connectwise-screenconnect-flaws-to-its-known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog.html?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• Cybersecurity Dive, CISA adds Microsoft and ConnectWise vulnerabilities to active exploitation catalog: https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/cisa-microsoft-connectwise-kev-update/818817/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
NIFC and InciWeb
• NIFC IMSR (April 29, 2026, 0730 MDT), national fire situation report: https://www.nifc.gov/nicc-files/sitreprt.pdf?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• InciWeb, Gun Range Fire (Florida), incident page: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/flfnf-gun-range?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• InciWeb, Sand Drain Fire (Florida), incident page: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/flfnf-sand-drain?utm_source=em-morning-brief
FEMA
• Federal Register, Presidential major disaster declaration for CNMI (DR-4910), Super Typhoon Sinlaku, published April 29, 2026: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/04/29/2026-08343/presidential-declaration-of-a-major-disaster-for-the-commonwealth-of-the-northern-mariana-islands?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• FEMA disaster page (DR-4910), Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4910?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• FEMA press release (April 29, 2026), Alaska Typhoon Halong recovery, FEMA Is Still Here so Stay in Touch: https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20260429/fema-still-here-so-stay-touch?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• FEMA disaster page (DR-4893), Alaska severe storms, flooding, and Typhoon Halong remnants: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4893?utm_source=em-morning-brief
USGS
• USGS HVO volcano notice (April 29, 2026), Kilauea ADVISORY and Aviation Color Code YELLOW: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hans-public/notice/DOI-USGS-HVO-2026-04-29T14:07:09+00:00?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, M4.4 near Alamo, Nevada (April 29, 2026): https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
NOAA and NWS
• NWS Storm Prediction Center, Day 1 Convective Outlook (April 29, 2026), severe weather guidance: https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day1otlk.html?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• NWS Albuquerque, Red Flag Warning summary, fire weather alerts for New Mexico and adjacent areas: https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=usa&wwa=Red+Flag+Warning&utm_source=em-morning-brief
• NOAA WPC, Excessive rainfall outlook for central Texas, April 29 to May 1: https://www.noaa.gov/weather-prediction-center?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Travel advisories
• U.S. Department of State, Travel Advisories, active list with current levels: https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories.html?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Alaska
• FEMA, Typhoon Halong six-month recovery update, April 10, 2026 release: https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20260410/typhoon-halong-six-month-recovery-update?utm_source=em-morning-brief
California
• CAL FIRE incidents, current fire activity and evacuations: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Colorado
• 9News, Colorado doubles Red Flag Warnings days so far in 2026: https://www.9news.com/article/weather/weather-colorado/colorado-doubles-red-flag-warnings-days-2026/73-dddb29f1-4980-4343-8f2b-c51aa2789f8a?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Florida
• WCJB, U.S. Forest Service issues warning for Gun Range, Sand Drain fires (April 29, 2026): https://www.wcjb.com/2026/04/29/us-forest-service-issues-warning-gun-range-sand-drain-fires/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Georgia
• Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, April 2026 Wildfires page: https://gema.georgia.gov/april-2026-wildfires?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• News4JAX, Brantley County shifts to recovery, danger not over (April 29, 2026): https://www.news4jax.com/news/georgia/2026/04/29/the-latest-brantley-county-shifts-to-recovery-but-wildfire-danger-not-over-yet-officials-warn/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Hawaii
• USGS Kilauea volcano updates, current eruption status and forecast: https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/volcano-updates?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Illinois
• KSDK, St. Louis meteorologists confirm three tornado touchdowns in Illinois: https://www.ksdk.com/article/weather/weather-impact/st-louis-tornadoes-confirmed-touchdown-monday-storms-missouri-april-28-2026/63-3e1403e0-0127-41f9-a6fd-33e6154bf3c9?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Kentucky
• 14News, EF-0 tornado confirmed in Ohio County, Kentucky: https://www.14news.com/2026/04/29/ef-0-tornado-confirmed-by-weather-experts-ohio-county/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• NWS Louisville, another severe weather threat through tonight: https://www.weather.gov/lmk/Severe_Weather_Expected_Tonight?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Michigan
• State of Michigan, Executive Order 2026-10, declaration of state of emergency: https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/state-orders-and-directives/2026/04/28/executive-order-no-2026-10-declaration-of-state-of-emergency?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• State of Michigan press release, Whitmer expands previous state of emergency declaration: https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2026/04/28/whitmer-further-expands-previous-state-of-emergency-declaration?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Mississippi
• WTOK, City of Meridian issues a boil water notice (April 29, 2026): https://www.wtok.com/2026/04/29/city-meridian-issues-boil-water-notice/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• WDAM, Boil-water notice lifted in Taylorsville (April 29, 2026): https://www.wdam.com/2026/04/29/boil-water-notice-lifted-taylorsville/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• Action News 5, Severe storms pummel Mid-South including unconfirmed tornado: https://www.actionnews5.com/2026/04/29/severe-storms-pummel-mid-south-including-least-1-unconfirmed-tornado/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Missouri
• Missourinet, Storms damage Central Missouri state prisons: https://www.missourinet.com/2026/04/27/storms-cause-damage-at-state-prisons-and-across-central-missouri/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• Springfield Citizen, Hail storm causes damage and 10,000 power outages in Springfield: https://sgfcitizen.org/weather/springfield-power-outages-hail-storm/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Nevada
• Fox Weather, Magnitude 4.4 latest in series of earthquakes to hit Nevada: https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/magnitude-4-7-earthquake-shakes-las-vegas?utm_source=em-morning-brief
New Mexico
• The Watchers, Critical fire weather conditions forecast across eastern New Mexico and western Texas: https://watchers.news/2026/04/28/critical-fire-weather-conditions-forecast-across-eastern-new-mexico-and-western-texas/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Oklahoma
• AccuWeather, EF4 tornado devastates Enid, Oklahoma: https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/ef4-tornado-devastates-enid-oklahoma-amid-thursdays-severe-weather/1885149?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• News9, Cleanup efforts continue following EF-4 tornado in Enid: https://www.news9.com/oklahoma-city-news/cleanup-efforts-continue-following-ef-4-tornado-in-enid-dozens-of-volunteer-helping?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Pennsylvania
• WCCS Radio, Tornado warning for Indiana County cancelled (April 29, 2026): https://www.wccsradio.com/2026/04/29/tornado-warning-for-indiana-county-cancelled/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Tennessee
• WSMV, EF1 tornado leaves swirl markings in field north of Nashville: https://www.wsmv.com/2026/04/29/ef1-tornado-leaves-swirl-markings-field-north-nashville-during-early-week-severe-storms/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• WSMV, Damaging microburst confirmed in Lawrence County: https://www.wsmv.com/2026/04/29/damaging-microburst-confirmed-lawrence-county-storms-early-tuesday/?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Texas
• Office of the Texas Governor, Governor Abbott issues disaster declaration for North Texas storms: https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-issues-disaster-declaration-for-north-texas-storms?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• TDEM press release, Governor Abbott issues disaster declaration for North Texas storms: https://www.tdem.texas.gov/press-release/4-28-26?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• CNN, Tornado devastates Mineral Wells, Texas, on sixth straight day of severe storms: https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/28/weather/severe-storm-outbreak-tornadoes-hail-south-climate?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Northern Mariana Islands
• FEMA disaster page (DR-4910), Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Super Typhoon Sinlaku: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4910?utm_source=em-morning-brief
• Stars and Stripes, Many in Northern Marianas still without power nearly two weeks after super typhoon: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2026-04-27/super-typhoon-sinlaku-recovery-21499079.html?utm_source=em-morning-brief
Transcripts
Good morning.
Speaker A: ,: Speaker A:National Snapshot the National Wildfire picture remains active.
Speaker A: e fires nationally with about: Speaker A:The national preparedness level holds at PL2, but the southern area sits at PL4, where exceptional drought, low humidity and gusty winds continue to drive growth on fires in southern Georgia and northern Florida.
Speaker A:Critical fire weather is expected today across eastern New Mexico, far western Texas and the southern High Plains, with relative humidity dropping into single digits and wind gusts to 40 mph.
Speaker A:On the Cyber front, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency added two actively exploited vulnerabilities to the known exploited Vulnerabilities catalog yesterday, a path traversal flaw in ConnectWise Screen Connect and a Windows shell spoofing vulnerability.
Speaker A: ,: Speaker A: jor Disaster Declaration FEMA: Speaker A:In Alaska, FEMA reports more than $46 million in federal individual assistance approved to 2,492 households recovering from severe storms, flooding and the remnants of typhoon Halong with $4.67 million in rental assistance.
Speaker A:Kilauea remains at Volcano Alert Level Advisory and aviation color Code yellow.
Speaker A:The eruption is paused with the next episode forecast between May 3 and May 7.
Speaker A:There are no current National Terrorism Advisory System bulletins in effect.
Speaker A:Let's run through the states.
Speaker A:Alaska FEMA reported yesterday that more than $46 million in federal individual assistance has been approved to 2,492 households affected by the October severe storms, flooding and the remnants of typhoon Halong, including $4.67 million in rental assistance.
Speaker A:Designated areas include the Northwest Arctic Borough, several Regional Education Attendance Areas, and The city of St. Mary's FEMA continues to encourage applicants to keep contact information current with the dedicated Alaska Call Center.
Speaker A:California, the National Weather Service Albuquerque Office and the Storm Prediction Center Extended elevated to critical fire weather conditions across the greater Four Corners region, with portions of southeastern California exposed to dry westerly flow and low humidity, Cal Fire continues to track an active early season.
Speaker A:The agency directs the public to fire.ca.gov for current incident maps, evacuations and air attack positioning.
Speaker A:Colorado Critical fire weather is forecast today for portions of eastern Colorado where the strongest overlap of 25-40 mph, wind gusts and single digit humidity is anticipated.
Speaker A: warnings statewide so far in: Speaker A:Florida the US Forest Service issued a public warning yesterday on the gun range and sand drain fires in the national forests.
Speaker A:In Florida, the gun range fire southwest of Watertown is at 129 acres and 60% contained.
Speaker A:The sand drain fire northeast of Olistee remains under management by a complex incident management team.
Speaker A:Crews are bolstering containment lines to protect the community of Watertown and hot, dry, windy conditions continue to require vigilance.
Speaker A:Georgia The Brantley Highway 82 fire in Brantley county is reported at roughly 35 square miles and 32% contained, with more than 80 homes destroyed since ignition on April 20.
Speaker A:The larger fire in Clinch and Echols counties has charred more than 50 square miles along the Georgia Florida line and is 23% contained.
Speaker A:The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency continues to coordinate response and the Salvation army of Georgia is expanding wildfire response operations in the south of the state.
Speaker A:Hawaii the U.S. geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issued an updated notice yesterday.
Speaker A:Kilauea remains at Volcano Alert Level A advisory and aviation color code yellow episode 45 of the ongoing Halemaumau eruption ended April 23.
Speaker A:The eruption is currently paused with episode 46 forecast between Sunday, May 3 and Thursday, May 7 based on tilt data.
Speaker A:No significant activity is noted along Kilauea's east or southwest rift zones.
Speaker A:Illinois the National Weather Service confirmed three tornadoes from Monday night's outbreak, including an EF2 near Mascuda with winds of 118 mph and EF1 near Germantown at 107 mat hour and an EF0 near.
Speaker A:Marine damage assessments and power restoration continue across Clinton county where homes and outbuildings were damaged and roads were blocked by trees and downed lines.
Speaker A:Kentucky NWS Storm survey teams preliminarily confirmed an EF0 tornado in Ohio county with peak winds of 85-90 mph formed southwest of Heflin.
Speaker A:A flash flood watch remains in effect for much of central Kentucky and additional rounds of storms with damaging winds, large hail and isolated tornadoes are possible into tonight.
Speaker A: hitmer signed Executive Order: Speaker A:Tuscola county reports widespread flood damage to roads, culverts and bridges.
Speaker A:The Village of Holly reports significant flood damage at its wastewater treatment plant, requiring ongoing repairs.
Speaker A:Mississippi the city of Meridian issued a boil water notice yesterday for affected customers.
Speaker A:Residents and businesses are advised to boil water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth and ice.
Speaker A:Taylorsville lifted its townwide boilwater notice yesterday after a scheduled outage and maintenance.
Speaker A:Severe weather also produced a tornado warning yesterday afternoon for parts of Jasper, Clark and Jones counties.
Speaker A:Mobile home damage and roof damage were possible based on the storm's signature.
Speaker A:Missouri Strong storms early this week left damage at two state correctional facilities and and across portions of central Missouri, including Randolph and Saline counties.
Speaker A:A severe thunderstorm produced baseball sized hail in Springfield, where city utilities reported more than 10,000 customer outages and widespread vehicle and structural damage.
Speaker A:Nevada The U.S. geological Survey reports a magnitude 4.4 earthquake yesterday in Paranagat National Wildlife Refuge about 17 miles southwest of Alamo at a depth of 4 kilometers.
Speaker A:Shaking was felt in Las Vegas, roughly 60 miles to the south.
Speaker A:The USGS lists 98 felt reports and a series of aftershocks up to magnitude 3.2.
Speaker A:New Mexico NWS Albuquerque has red flag warnings posted across portions of east central and southeastern New Mexico with relative humidity dropping below 10% for several hours and wind gusts of 35-40 mph.
Speaker A:The storm prediction center placed the strongest overlap of dry, windy conditions over the same area today.
Speaker A: of: Speaker A:Local officials report nearly 95% of approximately 50 homes in the hardest hit Grey Ridge neighborhood were destroyed.
Speaker A:Cleanup donations and volunteer coordination continue through ywca, enid, the Salvation army and other partners.
Speaker A:Pennsylvania NWS Pittsburgh issued a tornado warning yesterday afternoon for northeastern Indiana county after a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a Tornado was tracked nine miles north of Indiana moving east at 30 miles per hour.
Speaker A:The warning was canceled at 4:17pm after the cell weakened.
Speaker A:Locations included Marion Center, Plumville and Rochester Mills.
Speaker A:NWS Nashville confirmed an EF1 tornado in Davidson and Robertson counties from the early week severe weather with damage in the Goodlettsville area, a tornado track south of Ridgetop and a confirmed damaging microburst in Lawrence county with peak gusts near 90 mph.
Speaker A:Nashville Electric Service reported more than 16,000 customers without power at the storm's peak.
Speaker A:Duck River EMC reported widespread outages affecting more than 5,000 customers across four substations.
Speaker A:No injuries are reported.
Speaker A:Official update published roughly 30 hours ago Governor Greg Abbott issued a state disaster declaration for Lamar, Parker and Wise counties following severe storms with T mobilizing Swiftwater Rescue and debris teams and requesting SBA participation in preliminary damage assessments.
Speaker A:Recovery continues in Mineral Wells after Tuesday's EF3 tornado, which sent five people to the hospital, including two by ambulance.
Speaker A:The Weather Prediction center maintains a slight risk of excessive rainfall across Central Texas through tonight.
Speaker A:All other states have no significant updates in the last 24 hours.
Speaker A:Northern Mariana Islands the Federal Register yesterday published the Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Super Typhoon sinlaku, formalizing the April 23 declaration.
Speaker A: ,: Speaker A:Power restoration continues nearly two weeks after the Category 5 storm, which made landfall over Northern Tinian with sustained winds estimated at 145 miles per hour and gusts up to 185 mile hour.
Speaker A:FEMA's distribution center in Guam continues to support the response with prepositioned water, meals, cots, blankets, tarps and generators.
Speaker A:All other territories and the District of Colombia have no significant updates in the last 24 hours.
Speaker A:That wraps today's EM Morning Brief.
Speaker A:New episodes drop Monday through Friday in the 5am hour PT, so the day starts with clarity instead of catch up.
Speaker A:Subscribe on the Emergency Management Network on Substack or follow on your favorite podcast player.
Speaker A:EM Morning Brief is an EOC Voices podcast.
Speaker A:Stay safe.
