The Emergency Management Network Podcast

Today’s EM Morning Brief leads with a joint advisory from CISA, the FBI, NSA, EPA, DOE, and U.S. Cyber Command warning that Iranian-affiliated cyber actors are actively exploiting programmable logic controllers across U.S. water, energy, and government systems. Advisory AA26-097A documents confirmed operational disruptions and financial losses. NERC is actively monitoring the electric grid in response. A fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran — brokered by Pakistan on April 7–8 — remains under pressure as President Trump keeps military assets in position and a dispute over Lebanon’s inclusion threatens the agreement’s scope.
On the weather front, Hawaii is experiencing its third consecutive major flooding event in three weeks, with a statewide Flood Watch in effect through Friday. Florida’s East Coast is under a Flash Flood Watch and Wind Advisory with dangerous surf conditions. Active fire weather is affecting South Carolina and Georgia. In Colorado, two wildfires near Boulder and Berthoud were both contained April 8 with no structures lost. FEMA officially designated 15 Tennessee counties as disaster areas following Winter Storm Fern. A boil water notice is active in Petal, Mississippi.
All 50 states and U.S. territories are covered.
Takeaways:
* Operators of Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley CompactLogix and Micro850 PLCs should restrict internet-facing access, apply available patches, and report suspicious activity to CISA or the FBI without delay.
* The domestic cyber threat posture remains elevated. The U.S.-Iran ceasefire is active but unsettled — monitor developments and lower thresholds for reporting suspicious cyber and physical security activity.
* Hawaii emergency managers should anticipate continued flooding, road closures, and potential landslides through Friday as a third consecutive storm stresses response resources statewide.
* Fire weather conditions in South Carolina and Georgia remain dangerous. Confirm current red flag and burn restriction status with state forestry commissions before authorizing any outdoor burning.
* Tennessee jurisdictions in the 15 designated counties should begin documenting eligible costs for FEMA Public Assistance. Individual Assistance determination is still pending federal review.
Sources
CISA
• CISA Advisory AA26-097A — Iranian-Affiliated Cyber Actors Exploit PLCs Across US Critical Infrastructure (April 7, 2026)
• CISA / Federal Agencies Issue Advisory on Iran-Related Cyberattacks — ABA Banking Journal
• Iran-Linked Hackers Target Water, Energy in US — Cybersecurity Dive
• Iranian Hackers Targeting American Critical Infrastructure — TechCrunch
DHS / NTAS
• DHS National Terrorism Advisory System — Official NTAS Page (note: site not updated since February 17, 2026 due to federal funding lapse)
NERC / Energy Grid
• NERC Is Actively Monitoring the Grid Following Iran-Linked Cyber Threat — Utility Dive (April 8, 2026)
US-Iran Conflict
• Iran War Live Blog, April 9, 2026 — Al Jazeera
• US-Iran Ceasefire Deal: What Are the Terms, and What’s Next? — Al Jazeera (April 8, 2026)
NIFC / Wildfire (National)
• NIFC National Fire News — National Interagency Fire Center
• Unprecedented Snow Drought Sets Up Extreme Wildfires for Western US in 2026 — Wildfire Today
NOAA / NWS
• NWS Active Alerts
• NWS Weather Prediction Center
• NWS Storm Prediction Center — Day 1 Convective Outlook
State Department / Travel Advisories
• Sao Tome and Principe — Level 3 Travel Advisory (April 8, 2026) — US Embassy Angola and Sao Tome
• US State Department Travel Advisories — travel.state.gov
Alaska
• Above-Average Spring Breakup Flooding Expected in Interior Alaska — Fairbanks News Miner
Arkansas / Oklahoma
• Severe Thunderstorms Moving Through Northeast Oklahoma — NewsOn6
• SPC Day 1 Convective Outlook — Storm Prediction Center
Colorado
• Goat Trail Fire 100% Contained — 9NEWS
• Cougar Run Fire Contained at 3.5 Acres — Larimer County
• Evacuation Orders Lifted for Boulder and Larimer County Fires — Denver Gazette
Florida
• NWS Melbourne — Flash Flood Threat
• NWS South Florida Hazardous Weather Outlook
Georgia
• Fire Danger Elevated Across North and Central Georgia April 8 — Cobb Courier
• Red Flag Warning Issued in Georgia as Dry, Windy Conditions Raise Fire Risk — CBS Atlanta
• Campfire Ban Issued for Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest — AccessWDUN
Hawaii
• Hawaii Under Statewide Flood Watch — Honolulu Star-Advertiser (April 8, 2026)
• Third Storm in Three Weeks to Unleash More Rain, Flooding in Hawaii — AccuWeather
• Hawaii Statewide Flood Watch April 2026: Visitor Travel Alert — Hawaii Guide
Mississippi
• Petal Residents Under Boil Water Notice Following Outage — WDAM (April 9, 2026)
Montana
• Holmes Fire West of Montana City Controlled, Evacuation Notice Cleared — Montana Right Now
South Carolina
• SC Forestry Commission Lifts Red Flag Fire Alert for 25 Counties — Live 5 News (April 8, 2026)
• Statewide Red Flag Fire Alert in Effect for South Carolina — WIS TV
Tennessee
• FEMA Designates 15 Tennessee Counties as Natural Disaster Areas — USDA Farm Service Agency (April 7, 2026)
• Tennessee Severe Winter Storm Disaster Declaration (DR-4898-TN) — FEMA
Texas / Plains
• Governor Abbott Activates State Emergency Response Resources for Severe Weather — TDEM (March 31, 2026)
• Severe Storms, Flooding Downpours to Focus on Plains, Midwest, Great Lakes into Easter Weekend — AccuWeather


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Today’s emergency brief takes you through the biggest safety and emergency updates making news right now. We start with a troubling cybersecurity alert involving Iranian-affiliated threat actors and growing concerns about attacks on critical infrastructure.
From there, we check in on wildfire activity across the country and the efforts underway to contain dangerous blazes. We also discuss rising tensions in the Middle East, including a Shelter in Place advisory issued for U.S. citizens in Bahrain.
We wrap up with the latest on Kilauea in Hawaii, severe weather building across the Southern Plains, and other urgent public safety developments, including water advisories. It’s a clear, concise roundup of the risks, response efforts, and evolving situations you should know about.
Takeaways:
* CISA has issued a critical advisory regarding Iranian threat actors exploiting vulnerabilities in PLCs.
* Organizations utilizing Rockwell Automation’s technology must prioritize remediation of exploited vulnerabilities.
* The recent Shelter in Place directive for Bahrain reflects heightened security concerns in the region.
* Wildfire activity across the United States has reached significant levels, necessitating ongoing suppression efforts.
* Heavy rainfall continues to pose a threat in Florida, with moderate flash flood risks identified.
* A substantial severe weather threat is anticipated in the Southern Plains over the coming days.
Sources
CISA / Cyber
- CISA Advisory AA26-097A — Iranian-Affiliated Cyber Actors Exploit PLCs Across US Critical Infrastructure (April 7, 2026)
- CISA ICS Advisory ICSA-26-097-01 (April 7, 2026)
- CISA Adds One Known Exploited Vulnerability to Catalog — CVE-2026-35616 (April 6, 2026)
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog
NIFC / Wildland Fire
- NIFC/NICC Incident Management Situation Report (April 7, 2026, PDF)
- NIFC National Fire News
USGS / Volcanoes
- USGS Kīlauea Volcano Updates
- USGS Volcano Updates (all U.S. volcanoes)
NWS / NOAA / Severe Weather
- NWS Miami — Flood Watch for Southeast Florida (April 7, 2026)
- Storm Prediction Center — Convective Outlooks
U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Embassy Manama — Security Alert: Bahrain Shelter-in-Place (April 6–7, 2026)
- State Dept — Middle East Regional Travel Advisory
FAA / Aviation
- FAA Ground Stop at Miami International Airport (April 7, 2026) — CBS Miami
California
- CAL FIRE — Springs Fire Incident Page
Florida
- Flood Watch, Heavy Rain for South Florida (April 7, 2026)
Hawai’i
- Big Island Video News — Earthquakes Swarm Before Kīlauea Eruption Episode 44
Illinois
- City of Freeport — Boil Order April 6, 2026
- WIFR — Boil Order Lifted in Freeport (April 7, 2026)
Texas
- TDEM — Governor Abbott Activates State Emergency Response Resources (March 31, 2026)


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The predominant focus of our discourse today centers on the critical wildfire emergencies unfolding across the Southern Plains, where a confluence of red flag warnings, extreme weather conditions, and active wildfires necessitates urgent attention. Regions including Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico are experiencing gusty winds, soaring temperatures, and alarmingly low humidity levels, which collectively exacerbate the fire hazards. Notably, significant evacuations have been mandated in various locales, particularly in Oklahoma, where fast-moving blazes pose substantial threats to residential areas. Conversely, the Midwest grapples with severe flooding resulting from substantial rainfall over the Easter weekend, with numerous rivers exceeding flood stage. As we navigate through these pressing issues, we shall also address cybersecurity vulnerabilities and health alerts pertinent to public safety in the current landscape.
Sources
NOAA / NWS
* NWS — Active Alerts (national)
* NWS — WWA Red Flag Warning summary
* SPC — Day 1 Convective Outlook (Apr 6 UTC)
* NWS Miami — Special Marine Warning (Apr 7)
* NWS Grand Rapids — Grand River Flood Watch
NIFC / InciWeb
* NIFC — National Fire News
* NIFC — Incident Management Situation Report, Apr 3, 2026
* InciWeb — Bent Willow Fire evacuations (Apr 4)
* InciWeb — Texas Fire incidents
FEMA
* FEMA — Current Disasters
* FEMA — Disaster Declarations
* FEMA — FM-5627-OK Dibble Creek Fire
* FEMA — FM-5628-OK Jumping Juniper Fire
* FEMA — FM-5626-OK Buck Horn Fire
* FEMA — FM-5625-TX Corner Pocket Fire
* FEMA — FM-5622-SD Qury Fire
* FEMA — DR-4900-LA Louisiana Severe Winter Storm
* FEMA — EM-3643-DC DC Sewer Line Collapse
CISA
* CISA — CISA Adds One Known Exploited Vulnerability (Apr 6, 2026 — Fortinet FortiClient EMS CVE-2026-35616)
* CISA — Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog
* CISA — Emergency Directive 26-03: Cisco SD-WAN Vulnerabilities
* CISA — Supplemental Direction ED 26-03: Hunt & Hardening Guidance
* CISA — ICS Advisories
* CISA — Cybersecurity Advisories
DHS / NTAS
* DHS — National Terrorism Advisory System (current status)
* DHS — Home Page
State Department / Travel Advisories
* State Dept — Travel Advisories (all countries)
* State Dept — Middle East travel page
* U.S. Embassy Ethiopia — Travel Advisory: Ethiopia, April 2026 (Level 3 renewed)
* State Dept — Crisis Response and Evacuations
CDC
* CDC HAN-00527 — Medetomidine in Illicit Fentanyl Supply (Apr 2, 2026)
* White House / ONDCP — Joint Advisory on Medetomidine in Fentanyl (Apr 2, 2026)
Oklahoma
* Oklahoma OEM — 2026 Emergencies and Disasters
* Oklahoma Dept of Agriculture — Fire Situation Report, Apr 6, 2026
* Wikipedia — 2026 Oklahoma Wildfires
Texas
* InciWeb — Bent Willow Fire (Texas, evacuations Apr 4)
* Wikipedia — 2026 Texas Wildfires
* Texas A&M Forest Service — Current Wildfire Status
Kansas
* Kansas Adjutant General’s Dept — State Fire Response Update
* Kansas Division of Emergency Management — Wildfire Update (Salina Post)
* KAKE — Wildfires and strong winds prompt statewide response in Kansas
Michigan
* WWMT — Flood Warning for Grand River, West Michigan rivers
* The Watchers — Flooding impacts northern Indiana, southern Michigan, NW Ohio (Apr 6)
Indiana / Ohio
* GovOneStop — Flood Warning Indiana, Ohio (effective Apr 4)
* GovOneStop — Flood Warning Indiana, Michigan (effective Apr 5)
Wisconsin
* Wisconsin Emergency Management — Response to historic flooding in SE Wisconsin
* Men’s Journal — Flood Warning Issued for Millions Across Six States Easter Weekend
* Stormwater Solutions — Midwest flooding swamps rivers, roads across six states
Iowa / Missouri
* ABC17 News — Flood Warning NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill through Apr 7
Oregon
* OPB — Drought emergency declared in Deschutes, Umatilla, Baker counties (Apr 1)
* OPB — Jackson County declares drought emergency (Apr 2)
* East Oregonian — Grant County declares drought emergency (Apr 1)
* Redmond Spokesman — Central Oregon farmers face tight water supply (Apr 6)
* NBC 16 — Kotek issues first 2026 drought declaration for Baker, Umatilla, Deschutes
Middle East / U.S. Military Relocation
* NPR — Evacuation of U.S. troops from Mideast base sends community groups scrambling (Apr 3)
* NPR — Troops and families evacuated to US after attacks on Middle East bases (Apr 2)


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The ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, now in its 37th day, constitutes the most pressing national emergency management concern at present. As the self-imposed pause by President Trump on potential strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure nears its expiration, analysts describe the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as the most significant energy supply disruption since the 1970s oil crisis. Concurrently, the rise in gasoline prices by approximately 37% since the commencement of the conflict underscores the profound economic implications of this situation. Emergency managers are thus urged to closely monitor fuel supply chains, logistics, and mutual aid costs in this increasingly volatile environment. Moreover, the episode further delineates the heightened wildfire risks across various states, exacerbated by climatic anomalies and ongoing drought conditions, necessitating vigilant preparedness and response strategies.
Takeaways:
* The ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran has now reached a critical 37-day mark, presenting significant national emergency challenges.
* The closure of the Strait of Hormuz since late February is noted as a major energy supply disruption, comparable to the 1970s oil crisis.
* Regular gasoline prices in the United States have surged by approximately 37% since the commencement of the conflict in the Middle East.
* The International Energy Agency has issued warnings regarding worsening supply constraints in April as pre-war crude oil shipments are depleted.
* Emergency managers are urged to closely monitor fuel supply chains and logistics costs amidst the current geopolitical tensions.
* National wildfire conditions in the United States are significantly exceeding historical averages, with over 810,000 acres burned thus far in 2026.
Sources
DHS / NTAS
* DHS — National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS)
State Department / Travel Advisories
* State Dept — Middle East Global Events Page
* State Dept — Worldwide Caution
* State Dept — Travel Advisories Landing Page
* U.S. Embassy Ethiopia — Travel Advisory Renewed April 1, 2026
NOAA / NWS
* NOAA SPC — Day 2 Convective Outlook (April 6, 2026)
* NOAA Weather Prediction Center — Home
USGS
* USGS — Significant Earthquakes 2026
* USGS — Latest Earthquakes Map
NIFC / InciWeb
* NIFC — Incident Management Situation Report, April 3, 2026 (official update ~72 hours ago)
* NIFC — National Fire News
* InciWeb — Wildland Fire Application Information Portal
FEMA
* FEMA — Newsroom
* FEMA — Disaster Declarations
* FEMA — Hazard Mitigation Deadline Extension (March 24, 2026)
CISA
* CISA — Cybersecurity Alerts & Advisories
* CISA — ICS Advisories
* CISA — Emergency Directive 26-03: Cisco SD-WAN Vulnerabilities (February 2026)
CDC
* CDC — Health Alert Network (HAN) Archive
Iran War / Energy Crisis
* NPR — Iran war updates, April 6, 2026
* CNN — Live updates: Iran war, April 6, 2026
* Bloomberg — Trump escalates threats to bomb Iran’s power plants, April 5
* CNBC — IEA warns oil supply crunch will worsen in April
* Wikipedia — 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis (context)
Alaska
* FEMA — Alaska Typhoon Halong Disaster Assistance (deadline passed April 3)
California
* CAL FIRE — Springs Fire incident page
* Newsweek — California Wildfire Update: Evacuations Lifted as Springs Fire Contained
* ABC7 Los Angeles — Springs Fire / Crown Fire live updates
* NBC Los Angeles — Evacuations underway for Crown Fire in northern LA County
Florida
* Fox Weather — Florida fire danger spikes as extreme drought reaches 25-year high, state of emergency declared
* WUSF/NPR — Florida’s drought caused a surge in wildfires, peak season still ahead (April 2, 2026)
* Florida Governor — Executive Order 26-33 (February 9, 2026)
* Florida DEM — Morning Situation Report, April 4, 2026
Hawaii
* Nomad Lawyer — Hawaii flooding alert: March 2026 storm
Kansas
* KSN — Wildfire burns 145,000+ acres in Kansas and Oklahoma
Nebraska
* Wikipedia — 2026 Nebraska wildfires
New Mexico
* Albuquerque Journal — New Mexico could face high wildfire risk in 2026 due to warm winter, poor snowpack
* NM Fire Info — Current wildfire information
New York
* City of Plattsburgh — MLD Power Outage, April 6, 2026 at 8:30 AM
North Carolina / South Carolina
* NWS Wilmington — 2026 Spring Climate Outlook for Southeast NC and Northeast SC
Oklahoma
* Oklahoma OEM — April 2026 Newsletter
* Direct Relief — Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas wildfires: evacuations underway
* Wikipedia — 2026 Oklahoma wildfires
Texas
* TDEM — Governor Abbott activates emergency resources ahead of severe weather, March 31, 2026
* NOAA WPC — Fort Worth/Dallas weather forecast


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Today’s discourse elucidates the pressing issue of wildfire preparedness amid a backdrop of alarming statistics: 17,006 wildfires have already incinerated over 1.6 million acres this year. The National Interagency Fire Center has reported a national preparedness level of 2, with 16 significant fires remaining uncontained and nearly 1,800 personnel engaged in suppression efforts. Concurrently, we explore critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities, notably a recently identified flaw in Google Chrome, which underscores the urgency for federal agencies to adhere to an impending remediation deadline. Furthermore, we examine the severe weather patterns currently affecting the central United States, including the potential for devastating thunderstorms and a late-season winter storm. As we navigate through these multifaceted challenges, it is imperative to remain vigilant and informed.
Takeaways:
* The National Interagency Fire Center reports an alarming number of wildfires across the nation, totaling over 17,000 incidents this year.
* Federal agencies must address a newly identified Google Chrome vulnerability before the impending April 15 deadline.
* Severe weather is anticipated across multiple regions, particularly strong thunderstorms and potential tornadoes in the Midwest.
* A state of energy emergency has been declared in Michigan due to soaring gas prices linked to global oil market disruptions.
* FEMA assistance applications for disaster relief in Alaska are due by 11:59 PM local time today, emphasizing urgency.
* Recent winter storms have caused hazardous conditions across the Midwest, leading to widespread travel disruptions and school closures.
Sources
NIFC / Wildfires
* NIFC Incident Management Situation Report — April 2, 2026
* NIFC National Fire News
* InciWeb — Wildland Fire Information Portal
CISA
* CISA adds one KEV — CVE-2026-5281 Chrome zero-day (April 1)
* CISA flags Apple, Craft CMS, Laravel bugs — patching deadline April 3
* CISA Emergency Directive 26-03 — Cisco SD-WAN systems
* CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog
FEMA
* FEMA — One more day to apply for disaster assistance (April 2)
* FEMA — Assistance deadline extended to April 3
* FEMA Disaster 4699 — Alaska
NWS / NOAA
* SPC Convective Outlooks
* NOAA Weather Prediction Center
USGS
* USGS Significant Earthquakes — 2026
* USGS Kilauea Volcano Updates
* Alaska Volcano Observatory
DHS / State Department
* DHS National Terrorism Advisory System
* State Department Travel Advisories
* State Department Worldwide Caution
* U.S. Embassy Baghdad Security Alert — April 2, 2026
FDA
* FDA Recalls, Market Withdrawals & Safety Alerts
Alaska
* KDLG — April 3 deadline to apply for October 2025 storm relief
California
* USGS earthquake details — M4.6 Boulder Creek
* ABC News — 4.6 magnitude earthquake rattles Northern California
Hawaii
* Hawaii News Now — State awaits Presidential Disaster Declaration
* Governor Josh Green — April 2026 message
Michigan
* Executive Order 2026-4 — State of Energy Emergency
* Washington Examiner — Whitmer declares energy emergency
Minnesota / Wisconsin
* The Watchers — Winter storm ice, snow Upper Midwest
* The Watchers — Second winter storm intensifies
Nebraska
* KNLV — Statewide burn ban lifted
* WOWT — Governor lifts burn ban as wildfire risk subsides
* KSNB — Ashby and Minor fires near full containment
New Mexico
* NM Fire Info — Current incidents and restrictions
Severe Weather (Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas)
* Cabarrus Weekly — Iowa, Illinois, Missouri severe storm threat Friday
* Washington Post — Severe storms possible from Texas to Illinois
* Fox Weather — Midwest tornado threat
Virginia
* 12 On Your Side — Colonial Heights boil water advisory


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emnetwork.substack.com/subscribe