Episode 173
Sandy Fire forces 28,000 from Simi Valley homes; EF-3 tornado strikes St. Libory, Nebraska
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)
Transcript
Good morning.
Speaker A: ,: Speaker A:National Snapshot Wildfire activity dominates the national picture.
Speaker A:The National Interagency Fire center holds the country at preparedness level 2, with 118 new fires reported in the past operational period and 16 uncontained large fires burning across the west and Southern Plains.
Speaker A:Official update published in the May 18th IMSR approximately 24 hours ago, New large fires emerged overnight in New Mexico, Nebraska, Wyoming and Texas.
Speaker A:The highest impact incidents are the Sandy fire near Simi Valley, California, which has driven roughly 28,000 residents under mandatory evacuation the sharp fire that ignited in the Oklahoma Panhandle and crossed into Baca County, Colorado, prompting governor Jared Polis to verbally declare a state of disaster emergency and the seven Cabins fire in the Capitan Mountain Wilderness of New Mexico, now at 12,549 acres with zero containment.
Speaker A:Severe weather and lifeline disruptions affected the central United States Monday into Tuesday.
Speaker A:The Storm Prediction center maintained a moderate risk for tornadoes and very large hail across central Kansas City, southeast Nebraska, Iowa and northwest Missouri, with roughly 25 tornadoes reported during the outbreak.
Speaker A:The most destructive confirmed tornado, rated EF3, struck near St. Liborry in Howard County, Nebraska, destroying multiple homes and killing livestock with no reported injuries.
Speaker A:Federal Aviation Administration ground stops affected Chicago o' Hare for thunderstorms since lifted and Harry Reid International in Las Vegas for staffing.
Speaker A:Comed reported approximately 12,000 customers without power in northern Illinois and nipsco reported about 3,500 in northwest Indiana.
Speaker A:Public health and travel guidance moved as well.
Speaker A:The Department of State's Travelers Health Partner published an updated Global dengue alert on May 18, naming Bolivia, Colombia, Cook Islands, Guyana, Maldives, Mali, New Caledonia, Samoa, Timor Leste, Tonga and Vietnam as current risk destinations.
Speaker A:The U.S. geological Survey holds Kilauea at Volcano Alert level advisory with aviation color code yellow.
Speaker A:The Halemaumau eruption is paused between fountaining episodes, with the next expected between May 22 and May 25.
Speaker A: ,: Speaker A:Fire and Ventura County Fire Department report the incident at 1,364 acres with zero containment as of late Monday night with more than 750 firefighters assigned, supported by three air tankers and six helicopters.
Speaker A:Four evacuation orders and three evacuation warnings remain in place.
Speaker A:Mandatory evacuations affect roughly 28,000 residents, with another 8,000 under warning.
Speaker A:Fire activity moderated overnight as winds eased.
Speaker A:Colorado governor Jared Polis verbally declared a state of disaster emergency Sunday evening in response to the sharp fire which crossed from Oklahoma into Baca County.
Speaker A:The declaration activated the state Emergency Operations center and tasked the Department of Public Safety, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Division of Fire Prevention and Control.
Speaker A:With response.
Speaker A:Mandatory evacuation for the town of Campo was lifted Sunday evening, though rural areas around Campo remained under evacuation Sunday night.
Speaker A:A 77 mile stretch of US 287 from the Oklahoma state line to US 50 in Lamar is closed, per the Colorado Department of Transportation, and an evacuation center is operating in Springfield.
Speaker A:The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports Kilauea at volcano alert level advisory and aviation color code yellow as of the May 18 morning update.
Speaker A:The Halemaumau summit eruption is paused following the end of fountaining episode 47 on May 15.
Speaker A:Forecast models suggest episode 48 between May 22 and May 25.
Speaker A: ,: Speaker A:Illinois A line of predawn thunderstorms moved through the Chicago area Monday morning, triggering an FAA ground stop at O' Hare International Airport from 7:21am CDT lifted by 9am ComEd reported approximately 12,000 customers without power across its territory, with roughly 1,000 in Will County.
Speaker A:The National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm watches for parts of northeastern Illinois as the line passed.
Speaker A:Northwest Indiana saw cluster outages following the same Monday storm system, with NIPSCO reporting approximately 3,500 customers without power concentrated in East Chicago, Portage and St. John, Iowa the Storm Prediction center held southwestern Iowa within the moderate risk severe weather area Monday into Monday night.
Speaker A:Tornado warnings were issued for Ringgold and Taylor counties around Blockton during the late afternoon and evening.
Speaker A:Flood watches remain in effect for portions of southwest Iowa through Tuesday morning as additional rainfall is forecast.
Speaker A:Kansas the National Weather Service issued multiple tornado warnings across northeast Kansas Monday evening, including for Jackson county near Holton, where a storm capable of producing a tornado moved northeast at 50 mph.
Speaker A:The state remained within the moderate risk area for severe storms, very large hail and strong tornadoes.
Speaker A:Northwest Missouri saw tornado warnings Monday evening for Worth and northwestern Gentry counties near Grant City.
Speaker A:The National Weather Service Kansas City Pleasant Hill office issued a flood warning for the grand river near Pattonsburg, affecting Gentry and Davies counties with minor flooding occurring and forecast through the period.
Speaker A:Nebraska Howard County Emergency management confirmed an EF3 tornado destroyed multiple homes near St. Liborie on Sunday evening, with damage assessments continuing Monday and Tuesday.
Speaker A:Reports indicate at least three to four homes sustained severe damage in the Denton Circle development and roughly 15 head of livestock were lost.
Speaker A:No injuries were reported.
Speaker A:New Large fire activity was reported on the Nebraska National Forest with the Ash pole fire approximately 10 miles southeast of Crawford exhibiting minimal fire behavior in timber.
Speaker A:Nevada the FAA reported an active ground stop at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas due to staffing as of Tuesday morning.
Speaker A:New Mexico the Seven Cabins Fire on the Lincoln National Forest grew to 12,549 acres with zero containment per the May 18 morning update.
Speaker A:The fire is human caused and is burning in the Capitan Mountain Wilderness north of Capitan.
Speaker A:Ghost status Evacuations remain in place From State Highway 246 to the ridge top of the Capitan Mountains between mile marker 13 and Boy Scout Mountain.
Speaker A:State Highway 246 is closed between mile marker 19 north of Capitan and Mark Road in Chavez county.
Speaker A:Resources include 613 personnel, 12 crews, 20 engines, 11 water tenders, four dozers and two helicopters.
Speaker A:Oklahoma the sharp fire ignited in Samarin county in the Oklahoma panhandle on May 15 and pushed north into Colorado over the weekend.
Speaker A:The fire has burned approximately 28,000 acres with 5% containment as reported Sunday evening.
Speaker A:Conditions in the eastern Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico, including dry fuels and gusty winds, continue to support active fire behavior across the region.
Speaker A:Texas the Hungate Fire in Randall county southwest of Canyon remains a tract incident at approximately 34,124 acres with 30 to 40% containment per the most recent official updates.
Speaker A:Evacuations near Canyon have been lifted, several outbuildings and three residences were destroyed and a railroad bridge sustained damage.
Speaker A:Critical fire weather, including relative humidity of 5 to 15% and temperatures near 100 degrees, continues across the Texas Panhandle.
Speaker A:Wyoming A late season winter storm brought rain transitioning to snow across central Wyoming Monday into Tuesday with the National Weather Service issuing winter storm warnings for the Lander and Casper areas.
Speaker A:Lander could see up to 5 inches of accumulation and Casper up to 4 inches with wind gusts to 40 mph.
Speaker A:New large fire activity was reported in Wyoming with the Spread Creek Fire near Jackson.
Speaker A:All other states and territories have no significant updates in the last 24 hours.
Speaker A:That wraps today's EM Morning Brief.
Speaker A:New episodes drop Monday through Friday in the 5am hour PT, so the day starts with clarity instead of catch up.
Speaker A:Subscribe on the Emergency Management Network on Substack or follow on your favorite podcast player.
Speaker A:EM Morning Brief is an EOC Voices podcast.
Speaker A:Stay safe.
