·S1 E242

Hawk Fire forces mass evacuations on Reno's edge; Nevada declares emergency; Washington's Little Giant becomes largest fire in Chelan County history

August 24

15 mins

Episode Description

The Hawk Fire has burned more than 15,000 acres at zero containment on the northwest edge of Reno, with roughly 42,000 people under evacuation orders, 45,000 more under warnings and about 10,000 NV Energy customers de-energized for firefighter safety. Governor Joe Lombardo has declared a state of emergency for Washoe County. In Washington, the Little Giant Fire has surpassed the 1994 Tyee Creek Fire as the largest to burn entirely within Chelan County, while the Colwash Fire near Mabton has grown past 38,000 acres. Hawaii is under a county emergency proclamation as Tropical Depression Moke drops heavy rain on ground already saturated by Tropical Storm Lala. Also in this episode: a three-day CISA remediation deadline on an actively exploited Zimbra flaw, dangerous heat across the Southern Plains, and a national fire picture at Preparedness Level 5 with 79 uncontained large fires. 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

• Hawk Fire, Nevada: 15,051 acres, zero containment, human caused. About 13,700 residences in the evacuation footprint, roughly 42,000 people under orders and 45,000 under warnings. Six injuries, none life threatening. Structure losses confirmed but not yet counted.

• Lifelines, Nevada and California: About 10,000 NV Energy customers de-energized (peak above 60,000), gas shut off to roughly 250 customers, and spillover outages to about 14,800 Truckee Donner and 22,000 Liberty Utilities customers in California.

• National fire posture: Preparedness Level 5, 79 uncontained large fires, 124 active incidents, 22,122 personnel. Year to date acreage is 169 percent of the ten-year average. International teams from Australia and New Zealand plus military resources are committed.

• Washington: Little Giant at 144,832 acres and 15 percent, now the largest fire to burn entirely within Chelan County. Colwash at 38,599 acres and 8 percent, with Level 3 evacuations reduced to Level 2 and a shelter open at Prosser High School.

• Hawaii: County emergency proclamation in effect for Tropical Depression Moke, island-wide Flood Watch through 6 p.m. local, life-threatening flooding and mudslide risk on saturated ground. Kilauea fountaining expected this week.

• Cyber: CISA added CVE-2026-73570, an OS command injection flaw in Zimbra Collaboration Suite, to the KEV catalog Friday with a Binding Operational Directive 26-04 remediation deadline of today.

• Heat: Extreme Heat Warning for North and Central Texas with heat index to 112, and dangerous heat persisting across the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley. Heat is already slowing power restoration crews in Mississippi.

• Long-tail recovery, Indiana: Thirteen days after the August 11 derecho, 17,944 customers remain without power, seven deaths are confirmed, the National Guard is activated, and the major disaster declaration request is still pending.

• Federal posture: No active NTAS bulletin. FEMA’s most recent action is the Pine Tree Road Fire Management Assistance Grant in Arkansas. No new disaster declarations Aug 22 to 24.

Hawk Fire forces mass evacuations on Reno's edge; Nevada declares emergency; Washington's Little Giant becomes largest fire in Chelan County history

Episode Description

NIFC and national wildfire

CISA

DHS and FEMA

Travel advisories

Public health

Weather and tropical

USGS

FAA

Nevada

Washington

Oregon

California

Hawaii

Alaska

New Mexico

Texas

Florida

Minnesota

Indiana

Mississippi

Tennessee

Georgia

North Carolina

New York and New Jersey

South Dakota

Maine

Arizona

Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands

Guam and Northern Mariana Islands

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