Tuesday’s brief tracks a multi-state wildfire surge as the Sandy Fire prompts mandatory evacuations for roughly 28,000 residents in Simi Valley, California, the Sharpe Fire pushes from the Oklahoma Panhandle into southeastern Colorado, triggering a State of Disaster Emergency, and the Seven Cabins Fire grows to 12,549 acres in New Mexico’s Capitan Mountain Wilderness with active closures. The brief also covers an EF-3 tornado that destroyed homes near St. Libory, Nebraska, severe weather and flooding risks across the Central Plains, FAA ground stops at Chicago O’Hare and Harry Reid International, ongoing FEMA Individual Assistance for the March Kona Low in Hawai’i, and the USGS update keeping Kīlauea at ADVISORY/YELLOW. 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
• Sandy Fire (CA): 1,364 acres, zero containment, roughly 28,000 residents under mandatory evacuation in Simi Valley; 750-plus firefighters with aerial support; winds eased overnight.
• Sharpe Fire (OK to CO): ~28,000 acres, 5 percent containment; Colorado Governor Polis verbally declared a State of Disaster Emergency; Campo evacuation lifted Sunday evening; U.S. 287 closed for 77 miles in Colorado.
• Seven Cabins Fire (NM): 12,549 acres, zero containment in the Capitan Mountain Wilderness; GO-status evacuations and State Highway 246 closure remain in place.
• Hunggate Fire (TX): ~34,124 acres, 30 to 40 percent containment in Randall County; evacuations lifted; railroad bridge and three residences damaged.
• St. Libory tornado (NE): EF-3 tornado destroyed multiple homes in Howard County; livestock losses reported; no injuries.
• Severe weather and lifelines: SPC Moderate Risk holds across the Central Plains; O’Hare ground stop (Monday, lifted) and Harry Reid ground stop (Tuesday, staffing) noted; ComEd and NIPSCO outages affected the Chicago metro and northwest Indiana.
• Kīlauea (HI): Volcano Alert Level ADVISORY, Aviation Color Code YELLOW; eruption paused, next fountaining episode forecast May 22 to 25.
• FEMA Kona Low (HI): Individual Assistance application deadline holds at June 14, 2026 for Maui, Hawaiʻi, and Honolulu counties.
• Travel and public health: CDC Travelers’ Health Global Dengue Alert updated May 18, 2026 listing current risk destinations; no new DHS NTAS bulletins; no new CDC HAN advisories within the 24-hour window.
Sources
NIFC and InciWeb
• NIFC National Fire News: current national wildfire summary
USGS
• USGS Volcano Updates: Kīlauea Volcano Notice, May 18, 2026 08:20 HST, ADVISORY/YELLOW
• USGS Latest Earthquakes Map: real-time seismic activity
NWS and SPC
• NWS Storm Prediction Center Day 1 Outlook: Moderate Risk for severe storms across the Central Plains
• NWS WPC Day 1 Excessive Rainfall Outlook: Moderate Risk over MO, IA, NE, KS
• NWS Active Alerts: nationwide watches, warnings, and advisories
• NWS Flood Warning issued May 18 by NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill (Grand River at Pattonsburg, MO)
FEMA
• FEMA Newsroom: press releases and operational updates
DHS and CISA
• DHS National Terrorism Advisory System: current advisories page
• CISA Cybersecurity Alerts and Advisories: current advisory list
• CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog: authoritative KEV list
Travel advisories and public health
• U.S. Department of State Travel Advisories: country-level guidance
• CDC Travelers’ Health Notices: Global Dengue Alert updated May 18, 2026
• CDC Health Alert Network archive: current and recent HAN advisories
FAA
• FAA National Airspace System Status: active ground stops and airport events
• FAA Daily Air Traffic Report: operational summary
California
• CAL FIRE Incident Page: Sandy Fire, Simi Valley
• CBS Los Angeles: Sandy Fire grows to more than 1,300 acres, mandatory evacuations
Colorado
• Office of Governor Jared Polis: verbal Disaster Emergency declaration for Sharpe Fire in Baca County
• The Colorado Sun: Campo mandatory evacuation lifted as Sharpe Fire moved into southeastern Colorado
Hawaii
• USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory: Kīlauea updates
Illinois
• FOX 32 Chicago: O’Hare ground stop lifted following pre-dawn thunderstorms, May 18, 2026
• Hoodline: ComEd reports ~12,000 customers without power across Chicago area, May 18, 2026
Indiana
• Hoodline: NIPSCO reports ~3,500 customers without power across northwest Indiana, May 18, 2026
Iowa
• KMAland: flood watches issued for portions of southwest Iowa through Tuesday morning
Kansas
• NWS WWA: Tornado Warnings issued by NWS Topeka and NWS Wichita, May 18, 2026
Missouri
Nebraska
• Nebraska Public Media: EF-3 tornado near St. Libory damages homes in Howard County
• 1011 Now: Howard County Emergency Management confirms two homes destroyed by tornado near St. Libory
• NIFC IMSR: new large fire activity in Nebraska (Ash Pole Fire on Nebraska National Forest)
Nevada
• FAA National Airspace System Status: active ground stop at Harry Reid International (staffing)
New Mexico
• NM Fire Info: Seven Cabins Fire Morning Update, May 18, 2026 (12,549 acres, 0% containment)
• USDA Forest Service Lincoln National Forest: Seven Cabins Fire Closure Order 03-08-01-26-001
Oklahoma
• KKTV: Governor Polis declares disaster emergency for 28,000-acre Sharpe Fire originating in Oklahoma
Texas
Wyoming
• NIFC IMSR: new large fire activity in Wyoming (Spread Creek Fire near Jackson)
