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The third perek of Taanit broadens the application of public fast days beyond times of drought to times in which other crises are being experienced. In all of these cases the fast days that are declared are the "full blown" versions described at the beginning of perek 2, featuring the extended, Rosh HaShana-like davening and shofar blowing. (This is the meaning of the term מתריעין that is used repeatedly in this perek.)
It is interesting to note that Mishna 3 introduces the idea that sometimes a locale that neighbors the locale where a crisis is unfolding also joins the fasting (though not the special davening and shofar blowing). The rishonim differ as to whether this is an expression of empathy and solidarity, or whether this is done in anticipation of their neighbors' crisis soon becoming their crisis as well. The end of Mishna 4 (in which an entire region fasts when a "moving plague" is identified anywhere within the region) implies the latter. It should be pointed out however that the two are not mutually exclusive possibilities. Fear of the crisis spreading to your own boundaries need not preclude you from empathizing and being in solidarity with the folks who are suffering already.
Mishna 7 is particularly interesting as it injects another element into the mix, namely Shabbat, which is a day when we customarily do not fast, do not engage in petitional prayer, and do not blow shofar. And although the Mishna appears to be saying (by using the word מתריעין) that ALL of these are done on Shabbat in the particularly acute situations enumerated here, the Gemara asserts that the Mishna couldn't mean that shofar-blowing is taking place on Shabbat. Later thinkers add that the Mishna similarly couldn't mean that any fasting is taking place either, and that in the end, the Mishna is only
talking about the imperative to engage in petitional prayer on Shabbat in light of the unusually critical state of affairs that the locale is facing. Rambam, by contrast, rules that as a matter of practical halacha, fasting is being mandated by the Mishna on Shabbat in extreme circumstances.
This discussion plays out in the modern day as well, when our local community, or the State of Israel, or the world generally is facing a moment of unusual peril. We always need to carefully think through whether our impulse to recite Tehillim (which we would certainly be doing were it a day other than Shabbat) should be expressed or held back, i.e. whether our situation is comparable to the Mishna's or not.
Enjoy the famous story of Choni the Circle-Maker and all of the interesting theological questions it raises!
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