The nation holds at Preparedness Level 5 with 86 uncontained large fires and nearly 30,000 personnel committed, supported by crews from Australia and New Zealand. Officials in Washington count 913 structures damaged by the Spokane area fires as Level 3 evacuations continue. California’s Gann Fire reaches 33 percent containment after a deceased person is found in Angels Camp, and Utah’s Widemouth 2 Fire tops 97,000 acres with extreme fire behavior. North Carolina’s ports return to normal gate schedules on manual processing after a cyberattack, and new presidential disaster declarations publish for Mississippi, Louisiana, and Missouri. 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

• National wildfire posture: The nation remains at Preparedness Level 5 with 86 uncontained large fires, 3.3 million acres burned on large incidents, and 29,699 personnel assigned, with international support from Australia and New Zealand.

• Washington: Officials have identified 913 structures damaged by the Spokane area fires with counts continuing; Level 3 evacuations remain, and the Sinlahekin, Little Giant, and Kaiser Canyon fires keep large evacuation and closure footprints across eastern Washington.

• California: The Gann Fire in Calaveras County is 33 percent contained at 10,384 acres; a deceased person was found in Angels Camp, six evacuation zones reopened, and Governor Newsom declared a county state of emergency.

• Utah: The Widemouth 2 Fire tops 97,000 acres at 10 percent containment with extreme fire behavior and evacuations near Kanosh.

• North Carolina: NC Ports resumed normal gate schedules Thursday on manual processing while forensics teams and the Coast Guard investigate the August 4 cyberattack.

• Federal declarations: Presidential disaster declarations for Mississippi and Louisiana (Tropical Storm Arthur) and Missouri (severe storms and flooding) publish in today’s Federal Register.

• Hawaii: Kilauea is paused, with eruptive episode 53 forecast between August 8 and 13.

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Sources

NIFC and Wildfire

• NIFC Incident Management Situation Report: August 6, 2026, Preparedness Level 5, national and state fire details

NOAA and NWS

• NHC Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook: no development expected in next 7 days

• NWS national forecast: heat in the Southwest and Intermountain West, storms in the Plains

• NWS Houston/Galveston: heat indices 101 to 108 on the upper Texas coast

USGS

• USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory: Kilauea updates, episode 53 forecast August 8 to 13

Federal Register

• Presidential major disaster declaration: Mississippi, Tropical Storm Arthur

• Presidential major disaster declaration, public assistance only: Louisiana, Tropical Storm Arthur

• Presidential major disaster declaration, public assistance only: Missouri, severe storms and flooding

California

• Cal Fire: Gann Fire incident page

• Governor Newsom proclaims state of emergency in Calaveras County for the Gann Fire

• CBS Sacramento: Gann Fire updates, body found, evacuation zones reopened

North Carolina

• WECT: NC Ports operating manually after cyberattack disrupts statewide systems

Utah

• Gephardt Daily: Widemouth 2 Fire tops 97,000 acres

Washington

• KHQ: Spokane area fires at a glance, structures damaged and containment

Good morning.

The nation remains at Preparedness Level 5, the highest level of wildfire response readiness.

The Thursday Incident Management situation report counts 86 uncontained large fires, more than 3.3 million acres burned on large incidents and 29,699 personnel assigned nationwide.

An incident management team and 59 fireline personnel from Australia and New Zealand are supporting The Northwest and four MAFS C130 air tankers are staged at Klamath Falls, Oregon and Redding, California Fire weather stays critical Forecasters expect temperatures near or above 100 degrees across the inland Northwest and northern Great basin, up to 110 in inland California and minimum relative humidity of 3 to 15% east of the Cascades and Sierra with poor overnight recovery.

North Carolina's three ports returned to normal gate schedules Thursday while processing trucks manually as recovery continues from a cyber attack that hit the port Authority's statewide IT systems late Tuesday.

The U.S. coast Guard and state agencies are assisting the investigation.

In today's Federal Register Presidential Major disaster declarations are published for Mississippi and Louisiana tied to Tropical Storm Arthur, along with a public assistance declaration from Missouri covering severe storms, straight line winds, tornadoes and flooding.

Official updates published in today's Federal Register the National Hurricane center expects no tropical cyclone development in the Atlantic, Caribbean or Gulf over the next seven days.

In Hawaii, Kilauea's summit eruption is paused and the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory forecasts eruptive episode 53 between August 8th and dangerous heat continues to build across the desert southwest and Intermountain west, and severe storms are possible in parts of the Great Plains and Ozarks.

Let's run through the states.

California the Gan Fire in Calaveras county stands at 10,384 acres and 33% containment as of Thursday evening, per Cal Fire.

Sheriff's personnel found a deceased person inside a residence in Angel's Camp and at least seven structures have been destroyed.

County officials reopened six evacuation zones Thursday as crews continued containment work.

Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for Calaveras county on Thursday.

Separately, the new Buzzard Fire in Kern county northwest of Liebeck, has burned about 500 acres with active fire behavior and evacuations are in effect.

Colorado the rio Blanco Fire, 10 miles south of Pagosa Springs, is at 1,388 acres and 55% containment, with evac evacuations, area closures and road closures in effect.

The Elk Fire, northwest of Lake city is at 2,911 acres and 40% containment with residents is threatened.

Hawaii Kilauea is not erupting, the summit eruption in Halemaumau is paused, tilt shows steady inflation and the observatory's forecast window for episode 53 is August 8 through 13.

No significant activity is noted on the east or southwest rift zones.

Idaho the Tartar Fire northwest of weiser is at 147,418 acres and 53% containment.

Evacuations area road and trail closures remain in effect with structures threatened.

Louisiana A Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for public assistance tied to Tropical Storm Arthur is published in today's Federal Register.

Official update published in today's Federal Register we have more to cover this morning, but first a quick word from the sponsor supporting today's episode.

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Now back to this morning's updates.

Minnesota Five fires continue on the Superior National Forest near Ely.

The Bear Trap fire is at 29,764 acres and 40% containment with numerous structures threatened.

The Sioux, Wolf Pack, Thumb and Camp fires show minimal behavior with area road and trail closures in effect across the fire area.

Mississippi the Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Tropical Storm Arthur is published in today's Federal Register.

Official update published in today's Federal Register.

Missouri A Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for public assistance covering severe storms, straight line winds, tornadoes and flooding is published in today's Federal Register.

Official update published in today's Federal Register.

Montana the Skillet Fire west of Olney on the Flathead national forest is at 2,870 acres with active fire behavior, torching and spotting.

Railroad infrastructure is threatened and area road and trail closures are in effect.

Nevada The Ward Fire six miles south of Ely is at 8,775 acres and 5% containment with critical infrastructure threatened and closures in effect.

The Mouse Meadow Fire southwest of Rachel grew to 49,766 acres with evacuations in effect and communication infrastructure threatened.

North Carolina Ports resumed normal gate schedules Thursday at Wilmington and Morehead City while continuing to process operations manually after the Aug. 4 cyber attack.

An outside forensics team is working with the Port Authority's IT department and the U.S. coast Guard.

The state Department of Transportation and the state Department of Information Technology are engaged.

Oregon the Grasshopper Fire north of Sportsman park grew nearly 4,800 acres to 39,439 acres at 20% containment with active behavior and short range spotting.

The Row Creek Complex south of fossil is at 340,276 acres and 62% containment with evacuations in effect.

The Big Grass Fire southwest of Jordan Valley is at 358,911 acres and 39% containment with evacuations in effect.

The Coleman Creek Fire east of Juntura added more than 31,000 acres to reach 309,803 acres at 70% containment.

The Hagan Fire east of Pendleton is at 40,803 acres and 11% containment with numerous residences and energy infrastructure threatened.

Texas the Bear Hollow Fire east of Jacksboro is at 906 acres and 75% containment with energy infrastructure threatened.

Along the upper Texas coast, peak heat indices between 101 and 108 degrees are forecast for the Houston and Galveston area.

Utah the Widemouth 2 fire southwest of Kanosh has grown past 97,000 acres at 10% containment showing extreme fire behavior with crowning and long range spotting.

Evacuations Area road and trail closures are in effect.

Numerous structures and critical infrastructure are threatened and six structures have been lost.

The Black Canyon Fire southwest of Price also has evacuations in effect.

Washington Officials have identified 913 structures damaged by the Spokane area fires and the count is continuing as of late Thursday night.

The Old Trails Fire is at 3,574 acres and the Autumn Lane Fire at 5,870 acres each, 13% contained with Level 3 evacuation zones still in place.

Elsewhere in the state, the Sinlahaken Fire near Tonisket is at 120,692 acres and 20% containment with evacuations in effect.

The Little Giant Fire northwest of Leavenworth is at 74,284 acres with extreme fire behavior and the Kaiser Canyon Fire near nespelum is at 136,887 acres and 43% containment with evacuations in effect.

The Border 2 and Luna fires in North Cascades national park continue to grow with closures in effect.

Wyoming the New Bear Fire on the Bridger Teton National Forest northwest of Big piney is at 800 acres with moderate fire behavior.

Residences are threatened and road closures are in effect.

All other states or territories 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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