Western wildfires lead today’s brief, with Utah’s Iron Fire near Eureka and the Cottonwood Fire near Beaver each pushing past 30,000 acres and forcing evacuations, while NIFC keeps the country at Preparedness Level 3 with 31 uncontained large fires. In Arizona, the Pocket Fire north of Sedona prompts a downgrade of Oak Creek Canyon from GO to SET, and Extreme Heat Warnings push toward 114 degrees. We also cover active fires in Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, near-record heat across Florida and the Southern Plains, new FEMA flood mitigation funding for New England, and a minor central California earthquake. 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

• NIFC Preparedness Level 3: 31 uncontained large fires and about 5,854 personnel are committed nationwide, with activity concentrated in the Great Basin, Southwest, Northwest, and Alaska. Year-to-date acres burned run at 158 percent of the ten-year average.

• Utah, structure threat: The Iron Fire near Eureka (about 31,314 acres, 9 percent) and the Cottonwood Fire near Beaver (about 31,000 acres, 0 percent) both force mandatory evacuations and road closures; both are human-caused, and no homes have been lost on the Iron Fire.

• Arizona, Pocket Fire: Oak Creek Canyon eased from GO to SET at 8 a.m. today; State Route 89A remains closed, and crews prepare indirect line ahead of a midweek wind shift with gusts near 45 mph.

• Western and Southern heat: Dangerous, near-record heat covers parts of the West, the Southern Plains, and Florida through Friday, with Arizona Extreme Heat Warnings near 114 degrees and possible record highs from southern Colorado into New Mexico.

• Other active fires: Nevada (Grapevine, Kane Springs), Oregon (Lytle), Washington (Garred Road eased to Level 1, Kartar), and Alaska (Starry, Bear) all show ongoing operational impact.

• Federal assistance: FEMA announced more than 17 million dollars in hazard mitigation funding for New England states to reduce flood risk.

• Quiet on other fronts: No new NTAS bulletins, no CISA KEV additions, no State Department travel advisory level changes, and no significant earthquakes in the last 24 hours.

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Sources

NIFC and National Fire

• NIFC Incident Management Situation Report: June 23, 2026, 0730 MDT (PL 3, fire counts, acres, predictive discussion)

• NIFC National Fire News: current large fire activity

Weather and Heat

• NWS Weather Prediction Center: national forecast and heat discussion

• NWS HeatRisk: excessive heat outlook

FEMA

• FEMA Newsroom: hazard mitigation funding announcements

USGS

• USGS Latest Earthquakes map

Alaska

• NIFC IMSR: Alaska Area fire summary (Starry, Bear, Pogo, Kathul, Shaw)

Arizona

• Arizona Emergency Information Network: Pocket Fire, Oak Creek Canyon reduced to SET

• Coconino National Forest: more resources arrive to battle Pocket Fire

California

• USGS Latest Earthquakes map: M4.2 near Ridgemark, June 23

Colorado

• NIFC IMSR: predictive services discussion (record-heat potential, southern Colorado into New Mexico)

Florida

• NIFC IMSR: Southern Area fires and Florida near-record heat

Idaho

• NIFC IMSR: Northern Rockies Area (Shingle Creek)

Nebraska

• NIFC IMSR: Rocky Mountain Area (South Fork)

Nevada

• NIFC IMSR: Great Basin Area (Grapevine, Kane Springs)

New Mexico

• NIFC IMSR: Southwest Area (Rio Fire) and Four Corners fire weather

North Carolina

• NIFC IMSR: Southern Area (Rose Bay Canal) and Carolinas fire weather

Oregon

• NIFC IMSR: Northwest Area (Lytle Fire)

Utah

• Gephardt Daily: Iron Fire at 31K acres, 9 percent contained

• KSL: Cottonwood Fire east of Beaver, evacuations

• NIFC IMSR: Great Basin Area (Iron, Cottonwood, Hastings, Sawmill, Bonneville)

Washington

• Washington State Patrol: state fire mobilization authorized for the Garred Road Fire

• Columbia Basin Herald: Garred Road Fire contained at 3,500 acres

• NIFC IMSR: Northwest Area (Garred Road, Kartar)

Good morning.

The National Interagency Fire center holds the country at Preparedness Level 3 as Western Fire activity stays elevated.

The most recent Incident Management situation report counts 31 uncontained large fires with about 5,854 personnel assigned, including three complex incident management teams.

Crews reported 77 new fires and six new large incidents in the prior operational period.

Year to date the Nation has logged 34,262 fires and more than 2.7 million acres burned, running at 134% of the 10 year average for fires and 158% for acres.

Activity is concentrated in the Great Basin, Southwest, Northwest and Alaska where where hot temperatures single digit to low teens, humidity and dry fuels continue to drive extreme fire behavior.

Dangerous heat remains the dominant weather hazard.

The National Weather Service reports intense heat across parts of the west, the Southern Plains and Florida through Friday with near record highs on the Florida Peninsula and possible daily high temperature records from southern Colorado into New Mexico.

Forecasters also flagged scattered severe weather and flash flooding potential across the Central and Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley, plus elevated fire weather across the Great Basin and Four Corners.

On the Federal assistance side, FEMA announced more than $17 million in hazard mitigation funding for New England states to reduce flood risk.

There were no new National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletins, no CISA known exploited vulnerabilities additions and no State Department Travel Advisory level changes within the last 24 hours.

USGS reported no significant earthquakes nationwide in the same window.

Let's run through the states Alaska the state sits at preparedness level three with eight uncontained large fires.

The Starry Fire about one mile south of Anderson threatens structures and railroad infrastructure with evacuations and area closures in effect.

The Bear Fire on National Park Service land southeast of Lake Minchumina grew to roughly 3,194 acres, while the Pogo, Cathol and Shaw fires near Delta Junction and Eagle show active behavior.

Scattered thunderstorms and increasing moisture across the central and eastern interior may aid suppression, though the Yukon Flats stay warm and dry.

Arizona the Pocket Fire seven miles north of Sedona on the Coconino national forest stands near 341 acres at 0% containment with 625 personnel assigned.

Authorities reduced Oak Creek Canyon from a go to a set evacuation status at 8am today and State Route 89A remains closed between Fort Tooth Hill and the North END of Sedona Fire managers are building indirect line ahead of a midweek wind shift with gusts forecast near 45 miles per hour.

South of there, the Sycamore Fire north of Globe has burned about 9,036 acres at 8% containment, threatening structures and energy infrastructure.

Extreme heat warnings cover multiple counties with Highs forecast near 114 degrees.

California USGS recorded a magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Ridge mark in the Hollister area of Central California on June 23rd.

No damage or injuries are reported.

Interior portions of the state remain under elevated heat and Southern California fire activity stays minimal.

The National Weather Service notes possible record high temperatures from southern Colorado into New Mexico as a high pressure ridge peaks.

No emergency declarations or evacuations are reported.

The Florida Peninsula faces another day of near record heat with limited thunderstorm activity.

Several brush fires, including the Rookery and shell fires near DeLand saw rainfall over the fire area and remain at 50 to 70% containment.

Heat safety, not fire spread, is the leading concern statewide.

Idaho the Shingle Creek Fire, six miles southwest of Riggins holds near 400 acres with no new information reported.

The Northern Rockies area remains at preparedness level.

1.

Nebraska the South Fork fire 12 miles west of Crawford has reached 39,696 acres at 92% containment after rainfall over the fire area.

Officials list it as a last report unless significant activity resumes.

Nevada Two large fires near Caliente continue to show extreme behavior.

The Grapevine fire southeast of Caliente has burned about 14,500 acres at 0% containment and the Cane Springs fire southwest of caliente sits near 14,359 acres at 25% containment.

Both involve running, crowning and torching in timber, brush and grass.

New Mexico the Rio Fire west of Espanola holds near 147 acres at 31% containment with minimal behavior.

The state faces possible record heat and elevated fire.

Weather continues across the four corners.

North Carolina the Rose Bay Canal Fire southwest of Fairfield stands near 662 acres at 74% containment.

Hot, dry and breezy conditions are driving elevated fire risk across the Carolinas.

Oregon The Lytle Fire, three miles south of Vail has burned about 6,500 acres at 20% containment, showing extreme behavior with running flanking and short range spotting.

Evacuations and road closures are in effect.

Utah Two fast moving wildfires lead the nation's structure threat picture.

The Iron Fire near Eureka has grown to roughly 31,314 acres at 9% containment and mandatory evacuations remain in place for Eureka Chimney Rock Pass and surrounding areas, affecting about 1,000 residents.

Firefighters report no homes lost.

Farther south, the Cottonwood fire east of Beaver has burned around 31,000 acres at 0% containment, with mandatory evacuations for Eagle Point, Merchant Valley, Hilo Estates and Arrowhead summer homes, and State Route 153 closed between mileposts 2 and 25.

Both fires are human caused.

Additional large fires, including Hastings Sawmill and Bonneville, remain active across the state.

Washington the Gaird Road fire near Cooley City in Grant county is held at about 3,500 acres after state fire mobilization.

Evacuations were downgraded to level one.

Be ready on Tuesday afternoon and State Route 17 and U.S. highway 2 reopened.

The Cartar Fire southeast of Omac sits near 11,746 acres at 60% containment.

With structures still threatened.

All other states, territories and the District of Columbia have no significant updates in the last 24 hours that wraps today's EM Morning Brief.

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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