Tropical Depression Two drifts toward the northern Gulf Coast with a Tropical Storm Watch from the Ochlockonee River to the Mississippi and Alabama border, and New Orleans opens sandbag sites ahead of expected impacts. The nation holds at Preparedness Level 5 with 78 large fires burning roughly 888,000 acres: Oregon’s lightning siege puts five incident management teams on 27 Central Oregon fires, Washington’s Kaiser Canyon Fire displaces more than 1,000 people near Nespelem, and Minnesota’s Boundary Waters closure extends through July 24. In Utah, a debris flow off the Cottonwood Fire burn scar triggers a flash flood emergency and a do not drink water notice in Beaver. Texas operates under federal emergency declaration EM-3649 for South and Central Texas flooding, and an Enhanced severe weather risk covers the Upper Midwest while extreme heat grips the mid South and Plains. 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

• Tropical Depression Two: Expected to become a tropical storm today; Tropical Storm Watch from the Ochlockonee River, Florida to the Mississippi and Alabama border; 1 to 3 feet of surge possible including Mobile Bay; flash flood risk from western Florida to the middle Texas coast through Friday.

• National wildfire posture: Preparedness Level 5 with 78 large fires, about 888,000 acres burning, and 19,378 personnel committed; national resources heavily strained and MAFFS military airtankers deployed to Oregon and California.

• Oregon lightning siege: Five incident management teams on 27 Central Oregon fires; Hay Creek Complex tops 92,000 acres; new Level 2 evacuation zones in Gilliam County; ODF reports no complex teams left available.

• Washington: Kaiser Canyon Fire near Nespelem displaces more than 1,000 people with Level 3 evacuations, about 800 structures threatened, and at least 10 destroyed; Lyons Ferry Fire improves to 28 percent with evacuation levels lowered.

• Utah: Flash flood emergency in Beaver after a Cottonwood Fire burn scar debris flow; evacuations, a do not drink water notice, and an I-15 closure in both directions near Beaver.

• Minnesota: Roughly 70,000 acres or more burning near Ely; evacuation orders in three counties; full BWCAW closure extended through July 24.

• Severe weather and heat: Enhanced Risk today across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes with damaging winds, hail, and possible strong tornadoes; Extreme Heat Warnings across the mid South and Plains with indices of 100 to 110.

• Texas: Federal emergency declaration EM-3649 covers 28 counties for the July flooding; Kerr County cleanup continues with six of 19 county bridges reporting major damage.

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Sources

Tropical: NHC

• NHC: Tropical Depression Two Public Advisory 4, watches, surge, and rainfall

• National Hurricane Center: active storms and outlooks

Wildfire: NIFC

• NIFC National Fire News: Preparedness Level 5, national totals, fire list, MAFFS deployments

• NIFC Incident Management Situation Report (IMSR)

Severe weather and heat: NWS and SPC

• SPC Day 1 Convective Outlook: Enhanced Risk, Upper Midwest and Great Lakes

• NWS active alerts: extreme heat, flood, red flag, and tropical storm watches

FEMA and Texas

• FEMA: Texas Emergency Declaration EM-3649 (flooding)

• FOX 7 Austin: federal emergency declaration approved for 28 Texas counties

• KSAT: Kerr County flood cleanup as Guadalupe River recedes

Alaska

• Alaska’s News Source: Kenai Peninsula flood watch, Seward flood warning, heavy rain

California

• CAL FIRE: Biscar Fire incident page

• KOLO: Biscar Fire growth and expanded evacuations, Lassen County

• Shasta Scout: Brook Fire evacuation updates near Bella Vista

• Redheaded Blackbelt: seven CAL FIRE helitack crew members burned, treated and released

Colorado

• City of Ouray: Gold Mountain Fire information and evacuation status

• Colorado Springs Gazette: Aspen Acres Fire crosses 100,000 acres, re-entry plans

• SkyHiNews: Hartman Hill Fire evacuation, Grand County

Idaho

• KMVT: Ohio Fire evacuations east of Hailey

Kansas and Missouri

• KWCH: dangerous heat today and Tuesday in Kansas

• ABC17: Heat advisory, NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill, heat index to 107

Louisiana

• NOLA.com: New Orleans sandbag sites, EOC activation plans, pump status

Michigan

• ClickOnDetroit: Air Quality Alert and overnight severe storm threat

Minnesota

• KSTP: northeastern Minnesota wildfires, acreage and evacuations

• WTIP: BWCAW closure extended through July 24

Nebraska

• 1011 NOW: dangerous heat across Nebraska Monday

New Mexico

• NM Fire Info: new lightning starts on the Mount Taylor Ranger District

• Village of Ruidoso: post-fire flood mitigation work near Upper Cedar Creek

Oregon

• Central Oregon Fire Info: July 19 evening media release, five IMTs, 27 fires

• InciWeb: Hay Creek Complex

• KATU: Gilliam County Level 2 evacuations, Porcupine Ridge and Hopkin fires

• KPTV: more than 200,000 acres burning statewide, ODF resource strain

Utah

• KUTV: Beaver flash flood emergency and evacuations, Cottonwood burn scar debris flow

• KUTV: Beaver tap water notice after flood contamination

• KUTV: mudslide closes I-15 in both directions near Beaver

Washington

• InciWeb: Kaiser Canyon Fire

• The Spokesman-Review: Kaiser Canyon Fire growth, evacuations, structures lost

• NBC Right Now: Lyons Ferry Fire containment, evacuation levels lowered, parks reopen

• KHQ: Modrite Fire evacuations near Inchelium, Ferry County

Northern Mariana Islands

• Marianas Variety: Saipan power service update, Bavi recovery