Tropical Storm Bertha moves toward a second landfall on the upper Texas coast after coming ashore in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, with tropical storm alerts stretching to Sargent, Texas. West Virginia remains in search and rescue under a 55-county state of emergency with more than 300 National Guard personnel deployed. The nation holds at wildfire Preparedness Level 5 as Level 3 evacuations expand around Oregon’s Akawa Butte Fire, California’s Little Fire reaches 40 percent containment, and Superior National Forest fires continue in Minnesota. Also today: CISA adds Check Point and SharePoint flaws to the KEV catalog, the State Department renews its Worldwide Caution, ERCOT sets a record above 90,000 megawatts amid extreme heat, and a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center opens in Milwaukee County ahead of the August 31 assistance deadline. 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 Storm Bertha: Second landfall expected on the upper Texas coast this evening after Wednesday’s Louisiana landfall; flooding rain and storm surge are the main threats, with a Tropical Storm Watch to Sargent, Texas, and warnings along coastal Louisiana.
• West Virginia flooding: Statewide emergency for all 55 counties; about 310 National Guard deployed, dozens of water rescues, record crest on Sand Run near Buckhannon, and the response still in search and rescue.
• Wildfire posture: National Preparedness Level 5, rare for July; expanded Level 3 evacuations on Oregon’s Akawa Butte Fire near Sisters; Little Fire in California 40 percent contained with evacuations lifted; three large fires active on Minnesota’s Superior National Forest.
• Cyber: CISA adds actively exploited Check Point SmartConsole and Microsoft SharePoint vulnerabilities to the KEV catalog; patch or mitigate promptly.
• Travel security: State Department Worldwide Caution renewed; U.S. citizens abroad advised of possible airspace closures and travel disruptions tied to Middle East tensions.
• Lifelines: ERCOT sets an all-time demand record above 90,000 MW amid extreme heat with adequate capacity reported; scheduled power interruptions on Saipan today and Friday.
• Recovery deadlines: FEMA Disaster Recovery Center open in Milwaukee County; Wisconsin Individual Assistance application deadline is August 31, 2026.
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Sources
Tropical Storm Bertha / NHC
• NHC Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook, Atlantic and Pacific basins
• AccuWeather, Bertha approaching Texas with wind, rain and storm surge
• WSLS/AP, Bertha makes landfall in Louisiana, moves toward Texas
Wildfire / NIFC
• NIFC Incident Management Situation Report, July 22, 2026
• NIFC National Fire News, current national fire statistics
• NEPM/NPR, Federal fire officials raise preparedness level to PL 5
CISA
• CISA, Adds two Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog, July 22, 2026
• CISA, Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog
State Department
• Travel.State.Gov, Worldwide Caution
• U.S. Embassy Türkiye, Security Alert: Worldwide Caution, July 22, 2026
California
• CAL FIRE, Little Fire incident page
• CBS San Francisco, Containment grows on Little Fire near Pleasanton, Sunol
Louisiana
• GOHSEP, State Emergency Operations Center activated for Tropical Storm Bertha
• NOLA.com, Landry warns of Tropical Storm Bertha risks
Minnesota
• Boreal Community Media, July Lightning Incident/Little Knife Fire daily update, July 22
• MNICS, Superior National Forest and July Lightning wildfires fact sheet
Oregon
• Central Oregon Fire Information, Akawa Butte Fire, July 22, 2026
• OPB, Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation orders expand as Akawa Butte Fire heads east
South Dakota
• USDA Farm Service Agency, Three South Dakota counties designated natural disaster areas
Texas
• ERCOT, Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS)
• Houston Public Media, ERCOT prepares for record demand during Texas heat wave
West Virginia
• West Virginia Watch, Flood response still in search and rescue phase, governor says
• CBS News, West Virginia governor declares state of emergency in all 55 counties
Wisconsin
• Milwaukee NNS, Disaster Recovery Center for flooding support now open in Milwaukee County
• FEMA, Get help at a Disaster Recovery Center
