Latest / EM Morning Brief / Fire activity holds at Preparedness Level 5 with 94 uncontained large fires; Severe storms flood the Chicago area

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Fire activity holds at Preparedness Level 5 with 94 uncontained large fires; Severe storms flood the Chicago area · EM Morning Brief

• 0:00
  Good morning.
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  I'm Cedric and This is your EM Morning Brief for Monday, August 10, 2026 the National Wildland Fire System remains at Preparedness Level 5, the highest level, with 94 uncontained large fires and 30,419 personnel committed nationwide, according to the
• 0:19
  National Interagency Coordination Center.
• 0:21
  Sunday morning Situation Report, eight new large fires were reported.
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  The Northwest remains the busiest geographic area with 44 uncontained large fires and more than 18,000 personnel assigned.
• 0:35
  International support continues.
• 0:37
  An incident management team and 59 fireline personnel from Australia and New Zealand are working in The Northwest and four MAV F C130 air tankers are staged at Klamath Falls, Oregon and Redding, California Dangerous heat continues in two regions.
• 0:54
  Extreme heat warnings cover the desert Southwest, including the Phoenix, Yuma and Las Vegas areas with afternoon highs of 107 to 112 degrees expected through Monday evening.
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  A separate extreme heat warning covers the St.
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  Louis region, Central and east central Missouri and parts of southwest Illinois through Wednesday evening with heat index values up to 110.
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  In the Midwest, Severe thunderstorms and heavy rain continue from the Great Lakes into the Ohio Valley through Tuesday after Sunday storms flooded parts of the Chicago area.
• 1:29
  In the tropics, the National Hurricane center is monitoring three Atlantic disturbances, one north of Bermuda and two in the central and eastern Atlantic.
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  All three carry low development chances of about 10% over the next seven days and none poses a direct threat to land.
• 1:48
  Let's run through the states Arizona an extreme heat warning remains in effect for south central and southwest Arizona and including the Phoenix metro, Parker Valley and Yuma through 8pm Monday afternoon.
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  Temperatures of 107 to 112 degrees are expected with apparent temperatures as high as 120.
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  Heat related illnesses increase significantly during events like this and overexposure can progress from heat cramps to heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
• 2:19
  California the Gan Fire in the Sierra foothills southeast of Valley springs holds at 10,374 acres and and 60% containment with 2,439 personnel assigned and 33 structures lost.
• 2:33
  Fire behavior is minimal, though area road and trail closures remain in effect.
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  Extreme heat warnings also cover the southeastern deserts including the Imperial Valley, the Palo Verde and Chuckwalla valleys, and Death Valley through Monday evening.
• 2:49
  Colorado the Aspen Acres Fire southwest of Pueblo stands at 101,965 acres and 72% containment with minimal fire behavior.
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  The fire has destroyed 915 structures.
• 3:01
  The Gold Mountain Fire north of Orreay is 90% contained at 39,532 acres.
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  Idaho the Tartar Fire northwest of Weiser is 87% contained at 158,027 acres with fire behavior limited to flanking, torching and smoldering area.
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  Road and trail closures remain in effect and the fire has destroyed 10 structures.
• 3:25
  Illinois Multiple rounds of severe storms hit the Chicago area Sunday, dropping 1 to 2 inches of rain, flooding streets in several suburbs and knocking out power to tens of thousands of ComEd customers.
• 3:38
  Ground stops were issued at O' Hare and Midway international airports.
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  A flash flood watch covers most of northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana into Monday morning and additional storms are expected Monday and Tuesday.
• 3:51
  Southwest Illinois is also under an extreme heat warning through Wednesday evening.
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  We have more to cover this morning, but first a quick word from the sponsors supporting today's episode.
• 4:02
  Thanks for supporting the sponsors who help make em morning brief possible.
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  Now back to this morning's updates.
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  Minnesota the Bear Trap Fire north of Ely is 40% contained at 30,022 acres with minimal fire behavior and area road and trail closures in effect.
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  Five structures have been lost.
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  The nearby Thumb Fire is 48% contained at 17,634 acres.
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  An extreme heat warning is in effect for the St.
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  Louis region and central and east central Missouri through 8pm Wednesday with heat index values up to 110.
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  Residents are urged to limit afternoon exposure and check on heat sensitive neighbors.
• 4:46
  Montana 2 fires near Wisdom in the Beaverhead Deer Lodge National Forest are driving evacuations.
• 4:51
  The Sand Creek fire is at 8,890 acres and 1% containment with extreme fire behavior and the Bobcat Lakes fire is at 5,514 acres with no containment area.
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  Road and trail closures are in effect for both.
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  Nevada the Bug Fire burning along the US 395 corridor north of Reno near the California line has grown to more than 6,500 acres with no containment.
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  Evacuation orders and warnings are in place for portions of Cold Springs, in nearby communities in Washoe county and for parts of Lassen County.
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  California Separately, the Ward fire south of Ely is 35% contained at 8,775 acres and the Las Vegas Valley remains under an extreme heat warning through Monday evening.
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  New Mexico the Frijoles Fire in the Santa Fe National Forest has grown to 1000 acres with no containment.
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  East of Condio, the fire is producing short crown runs and spotting threatening residences and communication infrastructure.
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  Area road and trail closures are in effect.
• 5:58
  Oregon the Wright Spring Fire near Sprague river grew to 23,394 acres, a one day gain of more than 14,000 acres with no containment and extreme fire behavior, including crowning and long range spotting.
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  Numerous structures and critical infrastructure are threatened and area and road closures are in effect.
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  The Big Grass Fire southwest of Jordan Valley is at 504,385 acres and 39% containment and the Row Creek complex south of fossil is 79% contained at 366,617 acres with 32 structures lost.
• 6:35
  Tennessee Heavy rain Saturday night flooded parts of Williamson county, where rainfall rates reached 3 to 5 inches per hour after Five Mile Creek left its banks.
• 6:46
  The county Sheriff's Office, Franklin Fire Department, County Fire and Rescue and the county Emergency Management Agency evacuated families in the Warrior Drive area and conducted welfare checks as floodwaters rose.
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  Utah the Rocky Canyon Fire in Morgan and Summit counties grew to an estimated 13,000 acres Sunday with no containment.
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  Evacuation orders cover homes from White's Crossing to East Canyon Dam and the West Hennifer area, with shelters open at Morgan High School and in Hennifer.
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  State Routes 65 and 66 are closed in central Utah.
• 7:22
  The Widemouth 2 fire southwest of Kainosh is at 114,957 acres and 27% containment.
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  Officials confirm crews recovered the bodies of the two helicopter crew members killed in the Aug.
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  7 crash near the fire.
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  Washington the Little Giant Fire northwest of Leavenworth is at 97,539 acres and 2% containment with extreme fire behavior and evacuations remain in effect.
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  The Sinlahaken Fire just west of tonasket is 34% contained at 137,611 acres, and the Modrite fire southwest of Inchelium is 57% contained at 56,860 acres after destroying 88 structures.
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  All other states and territories have no significant updates in the last 24 hours.
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  That wraps today's EM Morning Brief.
• 8:13
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• 8:20
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• 8:26
  EM Morning Brief is an EOC Voices podcast.
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  Stay safe.