Shownotes
The first widespread heat wave of the summer builds across the Intermountain West and Plains as dangerous heat holds over the Southwest and Southeast, and severe storms bring flash flooding from the central Plains to the Mid-Atlantic. The nation stays at Preparedness Level 4 with 37 large fires burning, led by Utah’s Babylon Fire at more than 102,000 acres. Colorado moves Aspen Acres evacuation zones to pre-evacuation status, Idaho drops Claremont Fire evacuations to Level 1, and Washington holds Level 3 orders on the deadly Chelan Hills Fire. In the Pacific, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands make steady power restoration progress after Super Typhoon Bavi. 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
• Heat wave: The first widespread heat wave of the summer develops across the Intermountain West and Plains and expands through next week, with Extreme Heat Warnings for the Phoenix area through Friday evening and highs up to 116 degrees.
• Wildfire posture: The nation remains at Preparedness Level 4 with 37 large fires; year-to-date acreage runs 146 percent of the ten-year average, and Utah’s Babylon Fire is the largest active fire in the country at 102,932 acres and 21 percent containment.
• Colorado evacuations ease: Fremont County moves Aspen Acres evacuation areas to pre-evacuation status and the Pueblo County Sheriff anticipates lifting southern Pueblo County evacuations today, with re-entry passes required and a nighttime curfew in effect.
• Idaho improves: The Claremont Fire in the Boise Foothills reaches 23 percent containment and all evacuation zones drop to Level 1, Get Ready, with estimated containment July 12.
• Washington holds Level 3: The Chelan Hills Fire near Orondo is 50 percent contained at 9,735 acres; Level 3 evacuation orders remain, the fire is tied to one death, and well over 100 structures are involved.
• Guam and CNMI recovery: Guam Power Authority reports 49 of 67 feeders partially energized with adequate generation capacity, the Port of Guam reopens, and Saipan nears pre-typhoon power while Rota faces a lengthy recovery.
• Cyber: CISA releases three industrial control systems advisories; ICS and OT operators should review affected products and apply vendor mitigations.
• Water: West Columbia, South Carolina issues a boil water advisory after a water main break; affected residents should boil water until the advisory is lifted.
Sponsors
The NIMS Store - https://thenimsstore.com/
Descript, Edit video by editing text - https://link.bcolburn.com/DB-Descript
ESET, Cyber Security Progress. Protected. - https://refer.eset.com/hip7r
Sources
NIFC and Wildfire
• NIFC National Fire News: national preparedness level, large fire summary, and statistics
NWS and Weather
• National Weather Service: severe thunderstorms, excessive rainfall, and heat wave headline
• WPC Short Range Discussion: heat wave and excessive rainfall outlook
• NWS Phoenix: Extreme Heat Warning details for the Phoenix area
• NWS Mount Holly: Flash Flood Warnings for the NJ, DE, and PA area
CISA
• CISA ICS Advisories: industrial control systems advisories released July 9
National Hurricane Center
• NHC: Atlantic tropical outlook, no active cyclones
FEMA
• FEMA: presidential emergency declaration for Guam, Typhoon Bavi
• FEMA blog: support to Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands during Super Typhoon Bavi
Arizona
• Arizona Emergency Information Network: Pocket Fire update, 69 percent containment
• InciWeb: Pocket Fire incident page
Colorado
• Colorado DHSEM: State EOC update for July 9, Aspen Acres and Ferris Fires
• InciWeb: Aspen Acres Fire incident page
• InciWeb: Ferris Fire incident page
Idaho
• KTVB: Boise County reduces Claremont Fire evacuations to Level 1
• KIVI: Claremont Fire acreage, containment, closures, and shelter status
Nevada
• InciWeb: Dutch Flat Fire incident page
New Mexico
• InciWeb: Sacaton Fire incident page
• Yahoo News weather: Sacaton Fire tops 9,000 acres as crews protect cabins
South Carolina
• City of West Columbia: boil water advisory issued July 9
Utah
• InciWeb: Babylon Fire incident page
• ABC4: Babylon Fire nears 103,000 acres as heat threatens fire growth
• InciWeb: Cottonwood Fire incident page
Washington
• InciWeb: Chelan Hills Fire incident page
• KIRO 7: Chelan Hills Fire evacuations, structures, and cause investigation
Guam
• Guam Homeland Security JIC: Recovery Release No. 11, power restoration update
• Kandit News: GPA updated focus areas as of 11:30 a.m., July 10, 2026
• Maui Now: Port of Guam reopens after Super Typhoon Bavi
Northern Mariana Islands
• Marianas News Service: CUC power update, Saipan nears pre-Bavi power
Transcripts
Good morning.
Speaker A: ,: Speaker A:The first widespread significant heat wave of the summer builds across the Intermountain west and Plains today and expands through next week while dangerous heat continues across portions of the Southwest and Southeast.
Speaker A:Extreme heat warnings cover the Phoenix area through Friday evening with highs of 110 to 116 degrees and overnight lows near 90.
Speaker A:At the same time, a slow moving front brings rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms and excessive rainfall from the Central Plains eastward to the East Central United States Flash flood warnings were in effect Thursday across parts of New Jersey, Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania with flooding reported along portions of Route 1 and the new Jersey Turnpike.
Speaker A:The nation remains at preparedness level 4 for wildland fire per the National Interagency Fire Center.
Speaker A:Firefighters are working to suppress 37 large fires and year to date activity stands at more than 37,700 fires and 3.4 million acres burned, 130% of the 10 year average number of fires and 146% of the 10 year average acreage.
Speaker A:Official NIFC update published within the last 48 hours the Babylon Fire in southeast Utah is the largest active fire in the country.
Speaker A:Two fuels and fire Behavior advisories remain in effect covering parts of Colorado, southern Wyoming, eastern Nevada, Utah and the Arizona Strip.
Speaker A:Typhoon Bobby recovery operations continue in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands under a Presidential Emergency Declaration with FEMA coordinating power restoration and life sustaining support alongside territorial partners in Cyber.
Speaker A:CISA released three Industrial Control Systems advisories Thursday covering vulnerabilities in ICS and OT products.
Speaker A:Operators should review affected products and apply vendor mitigations.
Speaker A:The National Hurricane center reports no active tropical cyclones in the Atlantic this morning.
Speaker A:Lets run through the states.
Speaker A:Alaska 10 large fires are burning about 7,600 acres across the interior including two new the Ishtalitna fire northwest of Rampart and the Mustang fire southeast of Hughes.
Speaker A:Official NIFE C update published within the last 48 hours.
Speaker A:Arizona the Pocket Fire 7 miles north of Sedona holds at 27,451 acres and reaches 69% containment with with 1,078 personnel assigned.
Speaker A:State Route 89A remains closed to all traffic except residents between Flagstaff and Sedona and the seven canyons and enchantment zones remain in set status.
Speaker A:Separately, an extreme heat warning covers the Phoenix Metro through Friday evening with highs up to 116 degrees.
Speaker A:The state Emergency Operations center reports progress on the Aspen Acres fire near rye now roughly 94,000 acres.
Speaker A:All Fremont county evacuation areas move to pre evacuation status and the Pueblo County Sheriff anticipates lifting evacuations for southern Pueblo county today.
Speaker A:Returning residents need a re entry pass from the Disaster Assistance center and A curfew runs 9pm to 7am A flash flood watch covered the burn scar Thursday afternoon on the Ferris Fire in Dolores and Montezuma counties.
Speaker A:Fire formed when the Ferris, Far Draw and Doe canyon fires merged.
Speaker A:Governor Paulus verbally declared a disaster emergency.
Speaker A:Official update published July 8 the Gold Mountain Fire north of Ouray stands at 31,420 acres and 7% containment.
Speaker A: the Boise foothills stands at: Speaker A:The Boise County Sheriff's Office reduces all evacuation zones to level one.
Speaker A:Get ready.
Speaker A:Shaw Mountain, Rocky Canyon Road and Boise Ridge Road remain closed to non residents and a BLM public Lands closure in the foothills is anticipated to lift July 11.
Speaker A:A Red Cross shelter in Boise remains on standby and estimated containment is July 12th.
Speaker A:Nevada the Dutch Flat Fire northeast of Winnemucca holds at 15,558 acres and 70% containment and the Grapevine Fire southeast of Caliente reaches 99% containment.
Speaker A:Official NIFC update published within the last 48 hours.
Speaker A:New Mexico the lightning caused Sakaton Fire in the Gila Wilderness east of Glenwood stands at 9,590 acres and 17% containment.
Speaker A:Crews use helicopter water drops to slow spread southwest of the Willow Creek subdivision and wetting rain moderates fire activity along the northwest perimeter.
Speaker A: east of Pendleton, stands at: Speaker A:Official NIFC update published within the last 48 hours.
Speaker A:South Carolina the city of West Columbia issues a boil water advisory Thursday for affected customers following a water main break.
Speaker A:Residents in the affected area should boil water for at least one minute before drinking or cooking until the advisory is lifted.
Speaker A: in the nation with more than: Speaker A:6 San Juan county zones remain in set status.
Speaker A:The city of Monticello is not included.
Speaker A:Major closures remain in place, including the Monticello Ranger District of the Mantilla Salle National Forest and the Needles District of Canyonlands national park to the west, the Cottonwood Fire east of beaver holds at 96,242 acres and 58% containment Washington the Chelin Hills fire near Arondo in Douglas county stands at 9,735 acres and 50% containment level 3 go now.
Speaker A:Evacuation orders remain in place for affected zones and and a Red Cross shelter is open at Qilin Elementary School.
Speaker A:The fire is tied to one death, involves well over 100 structures and prompted authorization of state fire mobilization.
Speaker A:Investigators believe the fire is human caused.
Speaker A:All other states have no significant updates in the last 24 hours let's run through the Territories Guam power restoration accelerates following Super Typhoon Bavi the Guam power Authority reports 49 of 67 distribution feeders partially energized as of Friday morning with 275 megawatts of generation capacity available against a current load of about 140megawatts and no anticipated capacity shortage.
Speaker A:The Joint Information center reports crews working around the clock and the Port of Guam reopens to vessel traffic after storm related suspension.
Speaker A:Federal support continues under the Presidential Emergency Declaration.
Speaker A:Northern Mariana Islands Saipan nears pre typhoon power levels with about 4,000 customers still awaiting restoration as utility crews continue repairs.
Speaker A:Recovery on Rota, where the eye of the storm passed directly overhead, is expected to be lengthy given the damage the island sustained.
Speaker A:All other territories in 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.
