The nation holds at Preparedness Level 5 with 99 uncontained large fires and more than 27,400 personnel committed, and the President approves a federal emergency declaration for Washington as the Spokane Area Fires destroy hundreds of structures and the Little Giant Fire tops 59,000 acres. Oregon’s Grasshopper Fire pushes Mt. Hood Meadows to Level 3 Go Now evacuations, Idaho’s Tartar Fire passes 107,800 acres, and California’s Gann Fire forces evacuations in Calaveras County. CISA adds three actively exploited vulnerabilities to the KEV catalog, and boil water advisories are in effect in Rockdale County, Georgia and the Trenton, New Jersey area. 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
• National wildfire posture: The country remains at Preparedness Level 5 with 99 uncontained large fires, four new large fires and more than 27,400 personnel assigned; 2026 has burned more than 5.25 million acres year to date.
• Washington: A federal emergency declaration and a statewide emergency with a burn ban through September 30 are both in effect; the Spokane Area Fires destroy hundreds of structures with about 640 confirmed in the Old Trails Fire alone, and the Little Giant Fire tops 59,000 acres with Level 3 evacuations near Lake Chelan.
• Oregon: Mt. Hood Meadows and the Elk Mountain zones are under Level 3 Go Now orders as the Grasshopper Fire shifts west; the state nears a record season with more than 2 million acres burned.
• Idaho: The Tartar Fire passes 107,800 acres at 11 percent containment near Weiser; Highway 95 is back open and a Red Cross shelter remains available.
• California: The Gann Fire in Calaveras County reaches roughly 6,495 acres with no containment and multiple evacuation zones ordered.
• Cyber: CISA adds three actively exploited vulnerabilities to the KEV catalog covering Langflow, N-able N-central and Apache Tomcat; remediation should be prioritized.
• Water: Boil water advisories are in effect for northern Rockdale County, Georgia and portions of Ewing and Lawrence townships, New Jersey after main breaks and pressure losses.
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Sources
NIFC and National Fire Situation
• NIFC National Fire News: August 4, 2026 daily report, PL 5, 99 uncontained large fires
FEMA
• FEMA: President approves emergency declaration for Washington wildfires
CISA
• CISA: Three vulnerabilities added to the KEV catalog, August 4
• CISA: One vulnerability added to the KEV catalog, August 3
NHC and Tropics
• National Hurricane Center: Atlantic outlook, no active tropical cyclones
California
• CAL FIRE: Gann Fire incident page
• CBS Sacramento: Gann Fire burns more than 6,400 acres with no containment
Colorado
• Denver7: Colorado wildfire conditions and evacuation updates
Georgia
• On Common Ground News: Rockdale County boil water advisory issued August 4
Hawaii
• USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory: Kilauea daily update, August 4
• USGS: Kilauea volcano updates
Idaho
• Idaho News 6: Tartar Fire grows to 107,825 acres, 11 percent contained
Minnesota
• NIFC National Fire News: Minnesota large fire count
• MPR News: Minnesota wildfires live updates
Montana
• NIFC National Fire News: Griffin Fire among four new large fires
New Jersey
• Trenton Water Works: Precautionary boil water advisory for portions of Ewing and Lawrence, August 4
Oregon
• KGW: Mt. Hood Meadows under Level 3 Go Now evacuation as Grasshopper Fire approaches
• OPB: Eastern Clackamas County told to prepare to evacuate
• IQAir Newsroom: Big Grass Fire evacuation zones in southeastern Oregon
• KATU: Oregon nears all-time wildfire acreage record as 2026 fires top 2 million acres
Texas
• InciWeb: Bear Hallow Fire incident information
• KTRE: East Texas firefighters sent to aid in Bear Hollow fire
Washington
• FEMA: Emergency declaration for Washington
• KHQ: Thousands evacuated, hundreds of structures destroyed in Spokane Area Fires
• NBC News: More than 700 structures lost as 65,000 evacuate in Washington wildfires
• InciWeb: Little Giant Fire incident information
• KPQ: Little Giant Fire tops 59,000 acres, still fully uncontained
• Washington DSHS: Spokane Complex Fires and Washington wildfires emergency updates
