Episode #240
Ohio flash flooding brings water rescues; wildfire preparedness holds at Level 5 with 75 uncontained large fires
Flash flood warnings and reported water rescues across central Ohio lead today’s brief, with the flooding threat shifting to the Philadelphia and New York City corridor by midday. The national wildfire picture holds at Preparedness Level 5 with 75 uncontained large fires and nearly 27,000 personnel committed, led by Washington’s Little Giant and Sinlahekin fires and new Level 3 evacuation orders in Oregon. Hawaii continues Lala recovery with roughly 17,600 customers still without power and new boil water notices in Kau, while a second Central Pacific system carries 90 percent formation odds. In the Marianas, Tropical Storm Saudel prompts a Tropical Storm Watch for Saipan and Tinian and Port Condition X-Ray. Plus a joint CISA advisory on active targeting of Siemens programmable logic controllers, a confirmed data breach at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and an updated multistate Salmonella outbreak. 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 • Wildfire posture: National Preparedness Level 5 holds with 75 uncontained large fires, 133 active incidents, 26,890 personnel and 22 complex incident management teams. Year to date acres are 171 percent of the ten year average. • Washington fires: Little Giant at 137,294 acres and 10 percent containment with 26 structures destroyed; Sinlahekin at 154,178 acres and 44 percent with 35 structures destroyed; Three Queens at 2 percent with Level 3 orders east of Snoqualmie Pass. • Ohio Valley flooding: Five flash flood warnings in Ohio overnight with reported water rescues in Pataskala, plus warnings in Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. Thirteen river flood warnings are active in Ohio. • I-95 corridor: Flood watches take effect at midday from Philadelphia through northern New Jersey to New York City, with localized totals of three to five inches. NYC Emergency Management activated the Flash Flood Emergency Plan. • Hawaii recovery: Roughly 17,600 customers still without power, new boil water notice for Waiohinu and Naalehu, countywide essential use only water notice, a second suspected storm fatality, and a new Central Pacific system with 90 percent formation odds. • Marianas tropical threat: Tropical Storm Watch for Saipan and Tinian, Typhoon Watch for the far northern islands, Port Condition X-Ray set, and forecast intensification to a possible Category 3 typhoon by the weekend. • Cyber: Joint CISA advisory AA26-231A on active targeting of internet exposed Siemens S7 PLCs across critical manufacturing, energy, water and chemical sectors. One new KEV entry August 19 and four added August 18. UTSA breach confirmed with fall classes delayed to Monday. • Lifelines: NIPSCO shows roughly 67,000 Indiana customers out on day nine. Guam suffered a government wide internet outage from load shedding. NYC’s Bronx 911 center failure affected up to 400 callers. • Deadlines: Louisiana individual assistance for Tropical Storm Arthur closes October 1. The Pointe Coupee Parish Disaster Recovery Center closes today at 5 p.m. FEMA’s dam safety grant application window closes September 2. • Public health: Salmonella Javiana tied to jalapenos now at 431 illnesses, 57 hospitalizations and 32 states. B. Braun recalled one lot of Lactated Ringers Injection for particulate matter, relevant to hospital and EMS supply. Sponsors B. Colburn Coaching Book a discovery call today - https://calendly.com/briancolburn/virtual-coffee Wild Tone Labs Visit online - https://wildtonelabs.com/ The NIMS Store - https://thenimsstore.com NATURAL DISASTERS EXPO HOUSTON - https://disasterexpotexas.com/registration Descript, Edit video by editing text - https://link.bcolburn.com/DB-Descript ESET, Cyber Security Progress. Protected. - https://refer.eset.com/hip7r Sources CISA • Defending Against an Active Threat to Siemens S7 Series PLCs, AA26-231A: joint advisory published August 19, 2026 • CISA Adds One Known Exploited Vulnerability to Catalog: MLflow SSRF, August 19, 2026 • CISA cybersecurity advisories index: full advisory feed DHS and Travel Advisories • DHS National Terrorism Advisory System: no current advisories in effect • State Department travel advisories: Chile, Panama and Paraguay reissued August 19, 2026 FEMA • FEMA press release: Pointe Coupee Parish Disaster Recovery Center closes August 20 • FEMA authorizes federal funds to fight the Mukluk Fire in Alaska • FEMA disaster declarations: FM-5672-AK declared August 18, 2026 Wildfire • NIFC National Incident Management Situation Report: national preparedness level, fire counts and personnel • InciWeb national incident list: acreage and containment for all active large fires Weather and Geohazards • NOAA National Weather Service active alerts: national warning and watch inventory • Storm Prediction Center Day 1 convective outlook: slight risk Mid Atlantic and central Plains • Weather Prediction Center excessive rainfall discussion: I-95 corridor slight risk • Central Pacific Hurricane Center advisory on Hurricane Lala • Central Pacific tropical weather outlook: 90 percent formation odds east southeast of Hawaii • USGS earthquake map: magnitude 4.2 Rat Islands, Alaska • NOAA Tsunami Warning Center: no warnings, advisories or watches in effect Public Health • FDA and CDC outbreak investigation: Salmonella linked to jalapenos, updated August 19, 2026 • CDC Salmonella Javiana outbreak page: case counts by state • FDA recall: B. Braun Excel Lactated Ringers Injection, particulate matter, August 19, 2026 • CDC Health Alert Network: most recent advisory is CDCHAN-00532, August...
