Latest / EM Morning Brief / National Preparedness Level 5 with 102 uncontained large fires; Spokane-area fires destroy 660 structures; Idaho's Tartar fire tops 97,000 acres

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National Preparedness Level 5 with 102 uncontained large fires; Spokane-area fires destroy 660 structures; Idaho's Tartar fire tops 97,000 acres · EM Morning Brief

• 0:00
  Good morning.
• 0:00
  I'm Cedric and This is your EM Morning Brief for Tuesday, August 4, 2026 and today's episode is sponsored by the NIM Store.
• 0:08
  The nation remains at preparedness level 5, the highest level, with 102 uncontained large fires and more than 29,000 personnel committed nationwide.
• 0:19
  The Northwest carries the heaviest load where a 15 member Incident Management Team and 59 fireline personnel from Australia and New Zealand are supporting operations and four MAFS C130 air tankers are positioned at Klamath Falls, Oregon and Redding, California.
• 0:37
  Year to date, 44,722 wildfires have burned about 5.15 million acres, 137% of the 10 year average.
• 0:46
  On the cyber front, CISA adds one vulnerability to its known exploited vulnerabilities.
• 0:51
  Catalog CVE2026 18577 an authentication bypass and enable N Central with federal remediation deadlines attached.
• 1:01
  The Atlantic remains quiet with the National Hurricane center expecting no tropical cyclone formation over the next seven days.
• 1:09
  USGS Volcano Observatories report Great Sitkin in the Aleutians continues a slow eruption of lava in its summit crater at alert level.
• 1:17
  Watch and Aviation Color Code Orange while Kilauea sits at advisory with another eruptive episode forecast between August 7 and 14.
• 1:27
  Monsoon moisture brings a flood watch to southeast Arizona today and dangerous triple digit heat holds across the Southern plains.
• 1:35
  We have more to cover this morning, but first a quick word from the sponsor supporting today's episode.
• 2:11
  Thanks for supporting the sponsors who help make em morning brief possible.
• 2:15
  Now back to this morning's updates.
• 2:19
  Alaska Great Sitkin Volcano continues a slow eruption of lava within the summit crater at alert level.
• 2:25
  Watch and Aviation Color Code Orange with associated low level seismicity.
• 2:30
  The Tatlanika Fire 25 miles east of Clear, grows to 2,543 acres with moderate fire behavior.
• 2:38
  Arizona the National Weather Service posts a flood watch from 2pm to 10pm today for Santa Cruz county, western Cochise county and central and eastern Pima county, including the Tucson metro area, along with a blowing dust advisory for from
• 2:52
  4pm to 10pm for nearly all of southeast Arizona.
• 2:56
  Forecasters flag a marginal risk of severe winds and excessive rainfall as monsoon activity increases.
• 3:04
  Colorado the Aspen Acres Fire southwest of pueblo holds at 101,961 acres and 67% containment with minimal fire behavior.
• 3:13
  The situation report lists 915 structures lost to date.
• 3:18
  The Gold Mountain Fire north of ouray stands at 39,507 acres and 72% containment with numerous structures and critical infrastructure still threatened and closures in effect.
• 3:31
  Connecticut A boil water advisory continues in Waterbury after a water main on Tompkins street burst for the second time in a week.
• 3:40
  Service is restored to about 1500 customers and the advisory remains in place pending water quality test results from the Waterbury Health Department.
• 3:50
  Florida the new Bluegill fire in Everglades National park, seven miles west of Miami, burns 700 acres with active fire behavior.
• 3:59
  Road closures are in effect.
• 4:01
  Hawaii Kilauea is not erupting and sits at alert level.
• 4:04
  Advisory and aviation color code yellow Summit reinflation indicates another eruptive episode is likely currently forecast between August 7 and 14.
• 4:15
  Idaho the Tartar Fire northwest of Weiser grows to 97,143 acres, an increase of more than 81,000 acres in one reporting period at 16% containment.
• 4:28
  Fire behavior is active with uphill and wind driven runs.
• 4:31
  Residences and communication infrastructure are threatened and evacuations and closures are in effect.
• 4:38
  East of Idaho Falls, the Big rock fire reaches 2,400 acres with numerous structures threatened.
• 4:44
  Minnesota Fires in and near the Boundary Waters on the Superior National Forest keep evacuations in effect.
• 4:51
  The Wolf pack Fire at 5,715 acres and 25% containment and the Sioux Fire at 7,071 acres and 16%.
• 5:01
  The Bear Trap Fire at 29,778 acres and 40% containment.
• 5:06
  Three threatens numerous structures.
• 5:08
  Wilderness area closures remain in place.
• 5:11
  Montana FEMA opens an assistance center Today and tomorrow, August 4th and 5th from 8:30am to 4pm at the Fort Peck, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribe's headquarters in Poplar, helping enrolled members apply for federal assistance tied to the December 2025
• 5:27
  severe winter storm and straight line winds on the fireside.
• 5:32
  The Skillet Fire west of Olney threatens railroad infrastructure and the Elder 1 fire near Frenchtown threatens critical infrastructure.
• 5:41
  Nevada the Ward Fire 10 miles south of Ely shows extreme fire behavior with crowning and threatens critical infrastructure at 5,717 acres.
• 5:51
  The Mouse Meadow Fire on the Nellis Air Force Base range grows to 37,553 acres with evacuations in effect and the new Pac fire northwest of Austin stands at 31,613 acres and 42% containment.
• 6:06
  Oregon the state's mega fires keep grinding big grass at 336,779 acres and 19% containment Coleman Creek at 264,839 acres and 18% both with evacuations in effect and the Row Creek complex at 320,834 acres and 53%.
• 6:26
  A new fire I5M57INBY 1 mile east of Grants Pass threatens residences with area and road closures in effect.
• 6:34
  The Grasshopper Fire on the Mount Hood National Forest reaches 30,729 acres with evacuations in effect and fire managers modify evacuation zones around the Bench Fire near Warm Springs where containment reaches 66%.
• 6:50
  Triple digit heat locks in across north and central Texas this week with afternoon highs of 102 to 105 degrees and daily heat advisories expected through the workweek.
• 7:01
  The National Fire Situation Report flags extreme heat at or above 105 degrees across the southern plains.
• 7:09
  Utah the Widemouth 2 fire near Kanash explodes to 36,438 acres, up nearly 30,000 acres with zero containment and extreme wind driven fire behavior.
• 7:20
  Numerous structures are threatened and evacuations and closures are in effect.
• 7:25
  The Black Canyon Fire southwest of Price also shows extreme behavior with residences threatened.
• 7:32
  Washington Three fires ring Spokane, Old Trails, Autumn Lane and Fairview each at 0% containment with Level 3 evacuations and thousands of residents displaced.
• 7:43
  The national situation report lists 660 structures lost across the three fires and state and local emergency declarations are in effect elsewhere in the state.
• 7:53
  The Sinlahekan Fire near tanasket doubles to 73,794 acres at zero containment.
• 8:00
  The little Giant Fire northwest of Leavenworth shows extreme crowning behavior at 38,530 acres and the Kaiser Canyon Fire near Nespelum stands at 136,422 acres and 38% containment with evacuations in effect.
• 8:16
  Wyoming the Left Creek Fire burns 1 mile southwest of Devil's Tower at 282 acres and 25%.
• 8:23
  Containment structures are threatened and evacuations, area road and trail closures are in effect.
• 8:30
  All other states and territories have no significant updates in the last 24 hours that wraps today's EM Morning Brief.
• 8:37
  New episodes drop Monday through Friday in the 5am hour PT, so the day starts with clarity instead of catch up.
• 8:45
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• 8:51
  EM Morning Brief is an EOC Voices podcast.
• 8:54
  Stay safe.