Tropical Storm Bertha strengthens in the Gulf with warnings from the Florida Panhandle to southeast Louisiana, including watches for metropolitan New Orleans. The nation holds at Preparedness Level 5 with 74 large fires, the Boundary Waters closure extends through Friday, and evacuations continue in Oregon, Washington, California, and Utah. A Flood Watch covers the I-95 corridor as severe storms cross the Northeast, Extreme Heat Warnings blanket the Southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley, FEMA adds three Texas counties to the July flooding disaster declaration, and West Virginia declares a state of emergency for Barbour County. 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

• Tropical Storm Bertha: Tropical Storm Warning from the Alabama and Florida border to the Jefferson and Plaquemines Parish line, Storm Surge Watch to the mouth of the Mississippi River, and watches for the Florida Panhandle and metro New Orleans. Expect 2 to 4 inches of rain, isolated 8, and up to 4 feet of surge.

• Wildfires at Preparedness Level 5: 74 large fires are being suppressed nationally with five new large fires in Monday’s situation report. Evacuations are active in Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and California, and the Boundary Waters remains closed through July 24.

• Northeast flash flood threat: Flood Watches cover the I-95 corridor from Pennsylvania through New Jersey and New York City, with a Level 3 of 5 severe risk over most of New Jersey and the strongest storms expected this evening.

• Extreme heat: Extreme Heat Warnings run through Tuesday evening across portions of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas with heat index values up to 115.

• Texas recovery: Kimble, Mason, and Menard counties join the major disaster declaration for July flooding, opening public assistance for infrastructure repairs.

• West Virginia: Barbour County is under a 30-day state of emergency after intense weekend rainfall damaged roads, bridges, and water lines.

• Worldwide Caution: The State Department advises Americans abroad to exercise increased caution, citing Middle East tensions and the potential for flight cancellations and airspace closures.

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Sources

Tropical Storm Bertha

• NHC Public Advisory 7A: Bertha position, watches and warnings, surge and rainfall forecast

Wildfires and NIFC

• NIFC Incident Management Situation Report: Monday July 20 national fire summary, large fire count, Preparedness Level

• NIFC National Fire News: Daily national fire activity including California incidents

Severe Weather and Heat

• NWS Mount Holly Severe Weather Briefing: July 21 to 22 flood watch and severe storm outlook for the I-95 corridor

• ABC News: Northeast braces for flash flooding threat

• Forth News: Extreme Heat Warning across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas

State Department

• Worldwide Caution, July 20, 2026: State Department advises Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution

Florida

• WCJB: Lawtey under boil water notice after chlorine system issue

Kentucky

• WKYT: Boil water advisory issued for areas in Franklin County

Louisiana

• WAFB: New tropical watches and warnings for Bertha

Michigan

• Oakland County Times: Village of Holly under boil water advisory due to water main break

Minnesota

• Star Tribune: BWCA closure extended and air quality alert in effect as wildfires continue

• MNICS: Superior National Forest and July lightning wildfires fact sheet

New York and New Jersey

• ABC7 New York: Tri-state flood watch and two rounds of storms Tuesday

Oregon

• Central Oregon Fire Info: Rowe Creek Complex evacuation levels, July 20 update

• Central Oregon Fire Info: Hay Creek Complex update, July 20

Texas

• FEMA: Emergency declaration approved for Texas flooding

• San Angelo Live: FEMA adds Kimble, Mason, and Menard counties to disaster declaration

• NWS Fort Worth: North Texas heat forecast and heat index values

Utah

• Property Guardian: Weekly U.S. wildfire outlook, week of July 20, 2026

Washington

• FOX 13 Seattle: Washington wildfire and evacuation status including Kaiser Canyon Fire

West Virginia

• WV MetroNews: State of emergency declared in Barbour County

Good morning.

Her's the National Snapshot Tropical Storm Bertha is strengthening over the northeastern Gulf in the National Hurricane Center's 1am CDT advisory.

The storm sits about 125 miles south of Panama City, Florida with 50 mph sustained winds crawling northwest at 2 mph.

A tropical storm warning covers the coast from the Alabama and Florida border to the Jefferson and Plaquemines Parish line in Louisiana.

A storm surge watch runs from the Alabama and Florida border to the mouth of the Mississippi river, and tropical storm watches cover part of the Florida Panhandle plus southeastern Louisiana including metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain and Lake maurepas.

Forecasters expect 2 to 4 inches of rain with isolated totals near 8 inches through Thursday, and 2 to 4ft of surge is possible from the mouth of the Mississippi river to the Alabama and Florida border.

The wildfire picture holds at the ceiling.

The nation remains at preparedness level five, with 74 large fires being suppressed and five new large fires reported in Monday's Incident Management Situation Report.

Year to date, 40,560 wildfires have burned roughly 3.96 million acres.

Minnesota's lightning caused fires keep the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness fully closed and evacuation orders remain in place near Ely, while crews in Oregon, Washington, California and Utah manage active evacuations and threatened communities.

A frontal system drives an enhanced risk of severe storms and a flash flood threat from the mid south into the Northeast today with flood watches along the I95 corridor across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the New York City area.

Extreme heat warnings cover portions of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas through Tuesday evening with heat index values up to 115.

Abroad the State Department has issued a worldwide caution advising Americans to exercise increased caution due to heightened tensions in the Middle east and the potential for travel disruptions.

Lets run through the states.

Alabama A tropical storm warning is in effect along the coast west of the Florida border and a storm surge watch extends to the mouth of the Mississippi river.

Bertha could push 2 to 4ft of surge onto normally dry ground if peak surge lines up with high tide and southern portions of the state sit in the 2 to 4 inch rainfall footprint through Thursday.

Heat illness risk climbs sharply during afternoon hours.

California the biscar fire about 40 miles northeast of Susanville shows extreme fire behavior with wind driven runs spotting and torching.

Structures and energy infrastructure are threatened and area and road closures are in effect.

The Brook Fire, 10 miles northeast of Redding threatens residences with evacuations in effect.

Florida Bertha puts the Panhandle under a tropical storm watch from the Bay and Gulf county line westward to the Alabama border.

Surge of 1 to 3ft is possible from Indian Pass to Chasowitzka and swells are already producing life threatening surf and rip currents on the Gulf Coast.

Separately, the city of Lahti in Bradford county issued a precautionary boil water notice after a chlorine system issue.

Kentucky A boilwater advisory is in effect for parts of Franklin county after a water line was struck on Nineveh Road.

Affected areas include Big Eddy, Johnson Road, Nineveh Road and Travis Circle.

Louisiana Bertha's tropical storm warning covers the coast east of the Jefferson and Plaquemines Parish line with watches extending west to Morgan City and across metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas surge of 1-3ft is possible from Morgan City to the mouth of the Mississippi river and on Lake Pontchartrain, with tropical storm conditions possible by late tonight into Wednesday.

Portions of the state are also under an extreme heat warning through Tuesday evening.

Michigan the Village of Holly in Oakland county is under a boil water advisory following a water main break.

Residents should boil water for drinking and cooking until testing clears the system.

Minnesota the Superior National Forest fires continue to drive operations in the Northeast.

The Forest Service has extended the full closure of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area wilderness through Friday, July 24.

More than 70,000 acres have burned in and around the wilderness.

Evacuation orders remain in areas around Elytra and an air quality alert covers much of the state due to smoke.

Mississippi Southern portions of the state fall inside Bertha's 2 to 4 inch rainfall footprint through Thursday with flash flooding possible and inland areas remain under an extreme heat warning through Tuesday evening.

New Jersey A flood watch covers most of the state and most of New Jersey sits Under a level 3 of 5 severe weather risk today.

The strongest storms are expected between late afternoon and late evening, capable of damaging winds, hail, flooding, downpours and an isolated tornado.

New York New York City and the surrounding area are under a flood watch with two rounds of storms expected today, the second and stronger round between 5pm and 11pm the city sits under a level two of five severe weather risk with flash flooding a concern in flood prone neighborhoods.

Oklahoma an extreme heat warning is in effect for large portions of the state through Tuesday evening with air temperatures well above 100 and heat index values up to 115.

Officials urge residents to limit outdoor exposure and check on neighbors.

OREGON Central Oregon Fire activity keeps evacuation notices in motion The Row Creek complex has Level one, two and three evacuation notices in place for communities in Wheeler and Wasco counties, and the Hay Creek complex and several nearby fires also carry active evacuation orders.

Residents should be ready for rapidly changing levels.

Pennsylvania A flood watch remains in effect through late tonight for counties along the i95 corridor with severe storms capable of damaging winds and flooding.

Downpours moving through this afternoon and evening, per the NWS Mount Holly briefing.

FEMA has added Kimball, Mason and Menard counties to the major disaster declaration for the July flooding, opening public assistance funding for infrastructure repair.

Federal assistance remains active for flooding that began July 12.

Dangerous heat continues with North Texas expecting triple digit temperatures and heat index values of 105 to 109.

Utah the state remains among the hardest hit this fire season with eight major wildfires burning more than 250,000 acres combined.

The Cottonwood Fire in Beaver county has burned over 94,000 acres and stands at 25% containment.

In Okanogan County, a wildfire that reached about 53,000 acres in Sunday's update threatens more than 1,000 homes and businesses.

Level three go now.

Evacuations remain near Nespelum for the Kaiser Canyon Fire, and Ancient Lakes is under a Level two Get Set notice.

West Virginia governor Morrissey declared a state of emergency for Barber county on Monday after weekend storms dropped an estimated 4.5 to 7 inches of rain in three to four hours.

At least one home was destroyed and most damage hit roads, bridges and water lines.

The declaration runs 30 days unless extended.

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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