A record-challenging heat wave drives a federal power emergency for the PJM grid across 13 states, while wildfires push the national preparedness level to 4 with large, fast-moving fires forcing evacuations in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, and Alaska. Kentucky continues recovery after deadly flash flooding, and precautionary boil-water advisories affect communities in Missouri and South Carolina. 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
• Power grid: DOE emergency order lets PJM plants run at maximum output as record heat threatens the grid’s all-time summer peak on July 2; conserve energy and use cooling centers.
• Wildfires: National preparedness level 4 with 54 uncontained large fires; Utah’s Cottonwood Fire (about 92,820 acres, 4 percent contained) may be the state’s most destructive on record.
• Colorado: Aspen Acres Fire near 28,300 acres with about 155 structures lost; Rye, Beulah, and San Isabel evacuated under a state disaster declaration.
• Kentucky flooding: Four dead and at least 63 water rescues; statewide emergency and 26 local declarations remain as extreme heat complicates recovery.
• Lifelines: Precautionary boil-water advisories in St. Louis, Missouri and West Columbia, South Carolina; heat-driven outages in the Detroit area.
• Volcano: Kilauea is not erupting at ADVISORY level; USGS forecasts the next fountaining episode between July 6 and 10.
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Sources
Heat and Power Grid
• U.S. heatwave to test power grid (Al Jazeera): DOE PJM emergency order and record demand
• Emergency ordered for largest U.S. power grid (Bloomberg): PJM power emergency
• NOAA WPC Hazards: excessive heat and rainfall outlook
Wildfires (NIFC and InciWeb)
• NIFC Incident Management Situation Report (IMSR)
• NIFC daily situation report (PDF)
• NIFC Fire Information: national preparedness level and fire totals
Volcano (USGS)
• USGS Kilauea volcano updates
• USGS HVO volcano notice (June 30, 2026)
Tropics (NHC)
• National Hurricane Center Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook
Alaska
• NIFC IMSR: Starry Fire near Anderson
Arizona
• Arizona Emergency Information Network: emergency bulletins
• NIFC IMSR: Pocket, Steamboat, and Sycamore fires
Colorado
• KKTV: Aspen Acres Fire tops 28,000 acres, structures lost
• Colorado Public Radio: Beulah evacuations, Aspen Acres Fire
Hawaii
• USGS HVO: Kilauea status and next fountaining forecast
Kentucky
• ABC News: 4 dead in Kentucky flooding, statewide emergency
• LEX18: Beshear statewide state of emergency and local declarations
Michigan
• ClickOnDetroit: extreme heat strains DTE grid, outages in Detroit area
Missouri
• City of St. Louis: precautionary boil-water advisory (June 30, 2026)
Nevada
• NIFC IMSR: Grapevine Fire, Lincoln County
New Mexico
• NIFC IMSR: Canyon Venado Fire near Clines Corners
New York
• Gothamist: NYC heat wave and cooling measures
North Carolina and Tennessee
• ABC News: flooding deaths and impacts across Kentucky, Tennessee, and North Carolina
Oregon
• PBS NewsHour: heat, wind, and drought spark western wildfires
South Carolina
• City of West Columbia: boil-water advisory (June 30, 2026)
Utah
• ABC4: Cottonwood Fire, Beaver County evacuations and containment
• KSL: estimated 150 structures destroyed by Cottonwood Fire
• Fox 13: Rocky Mountain Power de-energizes lines, prolonged outage warning
