Shownotes
Tropical Storm Lala pulls away from Hawaii and leaves a major recovery behind: about 179,000 customers without power, all state offices and schools closed, an islandwide essential needs only water notice on Hawaii Island, and a pending major disaster declaration request. Record rainfall in Charleston, West Virginia drives more than 50 water rescue calls in Kanawha County as a Flood Watch extends across southeast Ohio, eastern Kentucky and southwest Virginia. A Flash Flood Emergency over Colorado’s Aspen Acres burn scar takes one life in Beulah. Nationally, wildfire operations hold at Preparedness Level 5 with 87 uncontained large fires, FEMA announces a Public Assistance declaration for 53 Indiana counties, Extreme Heat Warnings cover twelve states, and federal cyber advisories stay quiet. 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.
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Sources
DHS and NTAS
• DHS National Terrorism Advisory System: no current advisories listed
FEMA
• OpenFEMA API record for EM-3651-IN: Public Assistance only, 53 counties
Wildfire and NIFC
• NIFC situation report landing page
• NWS Charleston WV climate report confirming the 4.23 inch record and prior 1.64 inch mark from 1922
• CAL FIRE incident data feed: Timber Fire acreage and containment as of August 17, 2026
• NIFC National Fire News: Preparedness Level 5, year to date acres
• InciWeb national incident index
Tropical weather
• NHC Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook: no formation expected in seven days
• NHC Eastern Pacific Tropical Weather Outlook
Flooding and severe weather
• WPC Day 1 Excessive Rainfall Outlook graphic
• SPC Day 1 Convective Outlook: Slight risk central and northern Plains and southern Appalachians
• SPC filtered storm reports for August 16, 2026
• NWS active Extreme Heat Warnings: twelve states
Travel advisories
• State Department Travel Advisories index: most recent update July 29, 2026
• State Department Worldwide Caution, March 22, 2026
California
• CAL FIRE Timber Fire incident page: acres, containment, evacuation zones and Highway 1 closure
• Ready Monterey County Timber Fire incident page
• InciWeb MP 18 Fire near Hoopa
Colorado
• KKTV: Pueblo County Sheriff confirms Beulah flood fatality
• KRDO: Colorado Springs Fire pre-evacuation order for hazardous materials fire
Hawaii
• Hawaii News Now: statewide closure of state offices, schools and courts for Monday
• Hawaii News Now: utility outage totals by island and mutual aid crews
• Maui Now: County of Maui 7 p.m. update, Eddie Tam shelter opening, Olinda and Piiholo water outage
Idaho
Indiana
• WFYI: Marion County emergency management asks Ravenswood residents to await all clear
• WFYI live flood updates: Broad Ripple floodgate removal and Hazel Dell Parkway bridge washout
• NWS active alerts for Indiana
Kentucky
• WYMT: more than 26,000 customers without power across Kentucky
• WCHS: tornado warning issued for Boyd, Carter and Lawrence counties
Minnesota
• InciWeb July 2026 Superior National Forest wildfires
Mississippi
• MEMA: five Disaster Service Centers open for Tropical Storm Arthur survivors
• WLOX: Hancock County woods fire prompts Bay St. Louis subdivision evacuation
Montana
• InciWeb Sand Creek Fire, including Beaverhead County repopulation notice
• InciWeb Moose Fire, including Granite County red evacuation order
Nevada
• InciWeb Bug and Stallion fires
New Mexico
North Carolina
• Town of Hillsborough: boil water advisory continues for central pressure zone
Ohio
• NWS active alerts for Ohio: flood warnings and southeast Ohio Flood Watch
Oklahoma
• NWS active alerts for Oklahoma: heat advisories
Oregon
Texas
• CBS 4 El Paso: El Paso Electric outages affecting 14,644 customers
• KVIA: TxDOT closes Montana Avenue westbound for high water
• ERCOT news releases: no conservation appeal or emergency notice
Utah
• InciWeb Black Canyon Fire, including Emery County go evacuation order
Virginia
• WTVR: Dominion Energy outage totals after Sunday night storms
Washington
• Chelan County Emergency Management active emergencies and evacuation levels
West Virginia
• WV MetroNews: flash flood warnings and Barbour County road closures
• WCHS: Paint Creek out of banks, Route 61 closure
Territories
• Puerto Rico Seismic Network near real time catalog: U.S. Virgin Islands events
• PowerOutage.us Puerto Rico: LUMA Energy customers affected
Transcripts
Good morning, I'm Cedric and this is your EM Morning Brief
2
:for Monday, August 17, 2026.
3
:Hawaii is the national story.
4
:Tropical Storm Lala is pulling away
west of the main Hawaiian Islands,
5
:and the Central Pacific Hurricane
Center has dropped all coastal watches
6
:and warnings, though the storm is
forecast to strengthen back to a
7
:hurricane over open water by Wednesday.
8
:The recovery it leaves behind is large.
9
:About 179,000 customers are without power
statewide, with 16 transmission lines
10
:down on Hawaii Island and nine on Oahu.
11
:Governor Josh Green has closed
all state offices, public schools,
12
:charter schools and Judiciary
facilities today, and says he will
13
:request a major disaster declaration.
14
:Hawaii County has issued an
islandwide essential needs only
15
:water notice tied to the power loss.
16
:Hilo and Kona international airports
reopened Sunday morning after runway
17
:and terminal inspections, and Hilo and
Kawaihae harbors are open and operating,
18
:though flight cancellations continue.
19
:Crews conducted overnight search and
rescue in Naalehu for callers who could
20
:not be reached through flooded roads.
21
:Officials say the hardest hit
rural areas of Hawaii Island
22
:could be without power for weeks.
23
:The second event is flash flooding in
the central Appalachians and Ohio Valley.
24
:Charleston, West Virginia set a new
daily rainfall record Sunday at 4.23
25
:inches, breaking a mark of 1.64
26
:inches that stood since 1922, and
Kanawha County logged more than 50
27
:water rescue calls into Monday morning.
28
:West Virginia also produced the heaviest
storm report count in the country Sunday.
29
:The Weather Prediction Center carried
a Moderate risk of excessive rainfall
30
:over West Virginia Sunday evening and
continues a Slight risk today across
31
:southeast Ohio, West Virginia, eastern
Kentucky, southwest Virginia and
32
:northwest North Carolina, with flash
flood guidance exceedance probabilities
33
:above 70 percent in places that have taken
more than four inches in the past week.
34
:A Flood Watch runs through early Tuesday.
35
:In Colorado, a Flash Flood Emergency over
the Aspen Acres burn scar southwest of
36
:Pueblo killed one person Sunday afternoon.
37
:Nationally, the wildfire system
remains at Preparedness Level 5.
38
:The most recent National Interagency
Coordination Center situation report,
39
:an official update published about 24
hours ago, counts 87 uncontained large
40
:fires, 147 active incidents, roughly 3.88
41
:million acres and 29,548 personnel
committed, with 21 complex incident
42
:management teams and one national incident
management organization team assigned.
43
:On the federal side, FEMA announced
presidential approval of an emergency
44
:declaration for Indiana, Public
Assistance only, covering 53 counties.
45
:Extreme Heat Warnings cover twelve
states: California, Nevada and Arizona
46
:in the west, then Arkansas, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee,
47
:Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas.
48
:Federal cyber is quiet: no new items in
the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
49
:catalog since August 11, no new
advisories since August 13, no active
50
:DHS terrorism advisory, and no State
Department travel advisory level changes.
51
:Let’s run through the states.
52
:California has the Timber Fire
on the Los Padres National
53
:Forest southeast of Big Sur.
54
:CAL FIRE's latest data puts it at
5,103 acres and 17 percent contained
55
:with about 2,177 personnel assigned.
56
:Evacuation orders and warnings remain
in effect for multiple Monterey County
57
:zones, Highway 1 is closed through
the Big Sur area, and a shelter
58
:is open at Carmel Middle School.
59
:Farther north, the MP 18 Fire near
Hoopa is at about 5,700 acres and 19
60
:percent contained with structures and
communication infrastructure threatened.
61
:Colorado confirmed a
flood fatality Sunday.
62
:The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office reports
an 80 year old man was swept away by fast
63
:moving water in Beulah during a Flash
Flood Emergency over the Aspen Acres
64
:burn scar, and was found dead two miles
downstream after a ground and air search.
65
:The National Weather Service
in Pueblo labeled the situation
66
:particularly dangerous with
a catastrophic damage threat.
67
:Roads in the Beulah area closed
for water and debris flows.
68
:Separately, Colorado Springs Fire
issued a pre evacuation order
69
:near Highway 115 and Lake Avenue
for a hazardous materials fire.
70
:The Aspen Acres Fire itself stands at
102,004 acres and 72 percent contained,
71
:with 915 structures lost, the highest
structure loss on the national report.
72
:Hawaii is in full response
and early recovery.
73
:Utility figures put roughly 44,900
customers out on Hawaii Island,
74
:126,500 on Oahu, about 7,000 in
Maui County and about 863 on Kauai.
75
:Most Hawaii County shelters have closed,
with two remaining open for severely
76
:impacted residents, and roughly 215
people were sheltered on the Big Island
77
:with 117 in eight Oahu refuge areas.
78
:Maui County opened a shelter with charging
and WiFi at the Eddie Tam Memorial Center
79
:in Makawao for extended Upcountry outages.
80
:Kauai has conservation notices in four
service areas, and Maui County reports a
81
:water service outage in Olinda and Piiholo
with four tanks staged for potable supply.
82
:The Department of Health issued a brown
water advisory for the Big Island.
83
:Utility lines are down along Highway
11 between Mountain View and Volcano.
84
:One hundred linemen from California arrive
in the coming days, most on Tuesday.
85
:The state has set aside 100 million
dollars, and officials report more
86
:than 100 homes and eight bridges
damaged in southern Hawaii Island.
87
:Idaho has six large fires, including
Moose Mountain northeast of Pierce at
88
:2,805 acres and 7 percent contained with
structures threatened, and Upper Smith
89
:near Porthill at 38 percent contained
with energy infrastructure threatened.
90
:Indiana continues flood recovery.
91
:FEMA announced presidential approval of
emergency declaration:
92
:storms, straight line winds, tornadoes
and flooding that began August 11.
93
:It authorizes Public Assistance across
53 counties, and notably does not include
94
:Individual Assistance, so survivors
should not be directed to apply for
95
:individual aid on this declaration.
96
:The National Weather Service in
Indianapolis reports record crests
97
:on the White River at Anderson and
Noblesville, breaking:
98
:Marion County emergency management
has asked Ravenswood residents to hold
99
:off returning home until Tuesday, and
reports 100 people and 48 pets evacuated.
100
:In Carmel, the Hazel Dell Parkway
bridge washed out completely.
101
:Twenty eight flood warnings
remain active statewide.
102
:Kentucky reports more than 26,000
customers without power as of
103
:early this morning after overnight
storms, concentrated in Daviess,
104
:Jefferson, Fayette and Perry counties.
105
:Eastern Kentucky remains inside the
Slight risk area for excessive rainfall,
106
:and a Flood Watch covers northeast
Kentucky counties through early Tuesday.
107
:A tornado warning was issued
Sunday evening for Boyd,
108
:Carter and Lawrence counties.
109
:Minnesota has four large fires on
the Superior National Forest under
110
:a single Southern Area team, the
largest being Bear Trap at 30,110
111
:acres and 45 percent contained.
112
:Mississippi Emergency Management announced
five Disaster Service Centers opening at
113
:noon tomorrow for Tropical Storm Arthur
survivors under declaration:
114
:Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River and Stone
counties, staffed by FEMA, MEMA and Small
115
:Business Administration specialists.
116
:In Hancock County, the North
Shore Drive subdivision in Bay St.
117
:Louis was evacuated as a precaution
for a woods fire near Highway 603.
118
:Montana has active
evacuations on two fires.
119
:Sand Creek east of Wisdom grew
nearly 3,916 acres in a day to 31,652
120
:acres at 1 percent contained, though
Beaverhead County reports Shale
121
:Creek and Clark Creek residents may
return today and shift to set status.
122
:Granite County has a red evacuation
order for the Frog Pond area on
123
:the Moose Fire, which is at 5,678
acres and zero percent contained.
124
:Nevada has evacuations in effect
on the Stallion Fire west of Nixon,
125
:at 40,691 acres and 81 percent
contained, with numerous residences
126
:and critical infrastructure threatened.
127
:The adjacent Bug Fire is at about
94,105 acres with nine structures lost.
128
:New Mexico has the Frijoles Fire on
the Santa Fe National Forest east of
129
:Cundiyo at 8,921 acres and zero percent
contained with 544 personnel assigned.
130
:North Carolina has a continuing
boil water advisory in the Town of
131
:Hillsborough central pressure zone
following a six inch water main
132
:leak that dropped system pressure.
133
:Sample results were expected this morning.
134
:Restaurants and childcare centers
must file operating plans with
135
:Orange County Environmental Health.
136
:We have more to cover this morning,
but first, a quick word from the
137
:sponsor supporting today’s episode.
138
:Thanks for supporting the sponsors who
help make EM Morning Brief possible.
139
:Now, back to this morning’s updates.
140
:Ohio has six flood warnings issued
between 3:37 and 6:33 this morning across
141
:the southeast and central parts of the
state, with numerous roads closed and
142
:streams still rising on earlier runoff.
143
:The Route 79 eastbound exit at
Interstate 70 near Buckeye Lake is
144
:closed for high water, with water
encroaching on the eastbound outer lane.
145
:A Flood Watch runs through 2 a.m.
146
:Tuesday for Athens, Gallia, Jackson,
Lawrence, Meigs, Morgan, Perry,
147
:Vinton and Washington counties.
148
:Ohio logged 36 storm reports Sunday,
second only to West Virginia,
149
:including a both directions closure
of State Route 687 in Stark County
150
:for downed utility lines and debris.
151
:Oklahoma has two new large fires
with extreme behavior: Burnt Canyon
152
:northwest of Mooreland at 1,811
acres and zero percent contained,
153
:and Wichita Hills near Anadarko at
315 acres and zero percent contained.
154
:Heat advisories cover east, southeast,
southern and southwest Oklahoma
155
:today with heat index values to 110.
156
:Oregon carries 24 large
fires, the most in the nation.
157
:Big Grass southwest of Jordan Valley
remains the largest fire in the country
158
:at about 578,000 acres and 71 percent
contained, with evacuations in effect.
159
:Wrights Spring near Sprague River
is at 53,628 acres and 51 percent
160
:contained with evacuations in effect.
161
:Grasshopper east of Government Camp
is at about 90,130 acres with active
162
:wind driven runs and 22 structures
lost, and containment there is
163
:reported inconsistently across official
updates between 37 and 47 percent.
164
:Austin southeast of Estacada and
Paradise east of Milton Freewater
165
:are both at zero percent containment
with structures threatened.
166
:Texas reports El Paso Electric outages
affecting 14,644 customers across
167
:54 separate outages Sunday evening.
168
:The Texas Department of Transportation
closed Montana Avenue westbound
169
:at Justice and Tierra Este Road in
far east El Paso for high water.
170
:ERCOT has issued no conservation
appeal or emergency notice.
171
:Utah has an active go evacuation order
from the Emery County Sheriff for the
172
:Reeder Subdivision on the Black Canyon
Fire, which is at 3,563 acres and
173
:36 percent contained with residences
and energy infrastructure threatened.
174
:Widemouth 2 near Kanosh is at
129,741 acres and 80 percent
175
:contained with evacuations in effect.
176
:Virginia reports more than 12,600
Dominion Energy customers without
177
:power after Sunday night storms, about
8,200 of them in central Virginia, with
178
:Chesterfield County hardest hit at 6,576.
179
:Flash Flood Warnings covered Richmond and
surrounding counties into the overnight.
180
:Southwest Virginia remains in the Slight
risk area for excessive rainfall today.
181
:Washington has 16 large fires
and several active evacuations.
182
:Little Giant northwest of Leavenworth
is at about 132,978 acres and 10 percent
183
:contained with 26 structures lost, active
evacuations, and level three get out now
184
:zones along both shores of Lake Chelan.
185
:Three Queens east of Snoqualmie Pass is at
3,603 acres and 2 percent contained with
186
:Kittitas County evacuation levels active.
187
:Kaiser Canyon near Nespelem is at 138,296
acres and 83 percent contained with 47
188
:structures lost and evacuations in effect.
189
:Grand Park 2 in Mount Rainier National
Park also has evacuations in effect.
190
:Luna in North Cascades National Park
remains at zero percent containment with
191
:structures and energy infrastructure
threatened, and the adjacent Border 2
192
:Fire is between 3 and 10 percent contained
depending on the reporting source.
193
:West Virginia is the flood story.
194
:Kanawha County Metro 911 logged more
than 50 water rescue calls from Sunday
195
:into early this morning, 54 by one
supervisor's count as of 4:45 a.m.,
196
:though some may relate
to the same incident.
197
:No injuries have been reported, and the
county emergency management director
198
:described flooding across the county.
199
:Rescues occurred in Eskdale,
Carbon and Charleston, and from
200
:Cross Lanes to Cedar Grove.
201
:Route 61 closed from floodwaters near
the locks and dam, and Paint Creek
202
:overtopped its banks from Hansford
to the Interstate 77 entrance.
203
:The Division of Highways closed
multiple Barbour County roads with
204
:sections of Routes 92 and 57 underwater.
205
:Charleston's 4.23
206
:inches Sunday broke a 1922 record.
207
:A Flood Watch continues through 2 a.m.
208
:Tuesday, and the Weather Prediction
Center's highest concern today runs
209
:along and west of Interstate 79.
210
:All other states have no significant
updates in the last 24 hours.
211
:Let’s run through the Territories.
212
:U.S.
213
:Virgin Islands recorded two light
earthquakes in the window per the Puerto
214
:Rico Seismic Network, a magnitude 3.76
215
:offshore event early this
morning and a magnitude 3.55
216
:Sunday evening.
217
:No felt reports, damage or official
response have been recorded, and
218
:no tsunami warning, advisory or
watch is in effect for Puerto
219
:Rico or the Virgin Islands.
220
:Northern Mariana Islands
recorded a magnitude 4.8
221
:earthquake 159 kilometers east
southeast of Saipan early this morning
222
:at a depth of ten kilometers, with no
felt reports and no tsunami threat.
223
:Ahyi Seamount remains at advisory
and aviation color code yellow.
224
:Puerto Rico shows a stable grid
with no significant outages reported
225
:by LUMA Energy, and no emergency
announcement from the territorial
226
:emergency management agency.
227
:All other territories and the District
of Columbia have no significant
228
:updates in the last 24 hours.
229
:That wraps today's EM Morning Brief.
230
:New episodes drop Monday through
Friday in the 5:00 AM hour P.T.,
231
:so the day starts with
clarity instead of catch-up.
232
:Subscribe on the Emergency Management
Network on Substack, or follow
233
:on your favorite podcast player.
234
:EM Morning Brief is an EOC Voices Podcast.
235
:Stay Safe.
