wildfire

UPDATE 3:05PM: Areas of smoke and haze from wildfires will persist into Monday with improved conditions expected Monday night through Wednesday, forecasters say. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service in Reno has issued a Red Flag Warning for gusty winds and low humidity, from 1 p.m. Monday to 11 a.m. Tuesday for much of the Carson City region.
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After a night washed out with a deep sepia haze resulting from the Creek Fire burning in the southern Sierra, the dense smoke that made its way into northern and western Nevada Saturday night that caused degraded air quality throughout the region now appears to be lifting, according to the National Weather Service.

The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) reminds residents and visitors that recreational fires, including campfires, bonfires, warming fires, wood fires, charcoal fires, or any other kind of outdoor fires, involving solid fuels are not permitted on public or private property including residential properties, vacation/short-term rentals, campgrounds, resorts and other recreational areas throughout the Lake Tahoe/Truckee Region until the end of November or until rescinded.

Often called the “jewel of the Sierra,” Lake Tahoe offered warm solace for Nevadans this summer amid the crushing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has pushed people outside in greater numbers as the virus spreads more easily in indoor spaces.

UPDATE: The fire is under control, according to Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center.
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UPDATE 11:07AM: Fire crews on scene have kept the fire from spreading and a helicopter has been called into help fight the fire, according to KOLO. No structures are threatened.
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UPDATE 8:40AM: Resources are on scene of a single tree fire in Washoe Valley west of Bowers Mansion. The #BowersFire is a-quarter of an acre in brush and timber and was caused by lightning in the area, according to the U.S. Forest Service. No structures were threatened, fire officials said.

Drier and much warmer air will work its way into Northern Nevada and the Carson City area Wednesday, bringing gusty winds and low humidity with it, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Red Flag Warning for much of the region.

In response to the current severe risk of wildfire, the Bureau of Land Management, Nevada Division of Forestry and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest elevated the current fire restrictions on August 7. The heightened restrictions prohibit all open flame campfires on state and federal lands, including within developed campgrounds, day use areas and dispersed camp areas.

At midnight Saturday the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest entered Stage 2 Fire Restrictions in response to the current severe risk of wildfire. Nevada is experiencing record dry conditions with much of the state in a severe drought.

Watching the news on the Numbers Fire south of Gardnerville reminds us how important it is to create and maintain defensible space around your home. The fire burned 18,380 acres in the week it took to get it contained. Have you taken responsibility to make your home/landscape defensible and survivable?

The potential of afternoon and evening thunderstorms around the Carson City region and much of western Nevada has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Fire Weather Watch as well as raise concern for the potential for flash flooding near recent wildfire areas.

In keeping with its commitment to protect customers and the environment from the threat of natural disasters, NV Energy is working to improve situational awareness of fire and other weather-related threats by installing wildfire cameras and weather stations in natural disaster risk zones across its service territory.

UPDATE: Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch reports Wednesday that the #NumbersFire southeast of Gardnerville has grown to 20,500 acres. The Bureau of Land Management reports a lower figure, 18,000 acres, with 5 percent containment. The recommended evacuations for the Bodie Flats and Pineview areas have been lifted. Only residents are allowed to these areas.
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UPDATE 3:40PM From Douglas County: The Numbers Fire is 0 percent contained and the fire is estimated to be at 10,000 acres as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the county's Facebook page. Multiple local, state and federal fire agencies are assisting and there are numerous fire apparatus and firefighters working on the scene.

Equipment on scene includes dozers, handcrews and aircraft. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. No injuries have been reported at this time. The Carson Valley Inn and the Holiday Inn Express are serving as evacuation sites. The fire is on Washoe tribe land south of Gardnerville, continues to put up dense smoke. The fire has burned at least 1 home and 10 outbuildings.
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Smoke and haze from the Numbers Fire burning south of Gardnerville will be apparent Tuesday throughout much of the Carson Valley and surrounding areas, according to the National Weather Service.

The July 4 holiday weekend at Lake Tahoe will look and feel different this year with basin firework shows canceled and social distancing safety practices required on beaches, campgrounds and along hiking trails. Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Forest Service says it is hopeful the holiday period will be a great opportunity for people to get outside to celebrate Independence Day and all the wonders of Lake Tahoe.

The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team is promoting Lake Tahoe Wildfire Awareness Month during July. This year’s theme is “Fight fire with a plan” to encourage residents and visitors to prepare their family, property and possessions now before a wildfire starts by creating a plan.

Sierra Front Team 1 and assigned units made good progress Saturday on the Monarch Fire burning in the Pine Nut Mountains east of Gardnerville, Nev. The Monarch Fire was reported at 12:41 p.m. on June 24, 2020, and is burning three miles south of Sierra Spirit Ranch in Douglas County.

Moved by the tragedy of the 2018 Camp Fire, a team of engineers and scientists are coming together in a new 5-year project to develop a comprehensive, holistic, computational live, digital platform to predict and monitor wildfire risk that can be used by wildfire managers, emergency responders and utility companies to plan for, respond to and remediate wildfires.

UPDATE 5:18 p.m.: the acreage of the fire has been updated to 1,600 acres.

UPDATE 4:12 p.m.: the acreage of the fire has been updated to 800 acres.

UPDATE 3:21 p.m.: Douglas County releases the following press release:

Minden, NV- Several agencies including Bureau of Land Management, Douglas County Sheriff's Office, East Fork Fire, the US Forrest Service and the Nevada Division of Forestry are currently responding to the Monarch Fire, a Brush fire in the Fish Springs Pinenut Creek Rd area.

No structures are threatened at this time.

No active road closures at this time.

Douglas County is asking the public to please stay aware of your surroundings. The fire is moving possibly East of community. Stay aware and alert in the event of wind changes. The fire is currently estimated to be around 800 acres. (subject to change)

Please Call 911 if you need help. We have sent out a cell phone message to those in the area but you may also receive the alert in other areas in the valley.

As a reminder, please make sure your cell phone is signed up for our reverse 911 emergency alert notification system. You can register your cell phone here.

We will continue to update you as the information becomes available on this page: https://www.douglascountynv.gov/cms/One.aspx

UPDATE 3:10 p.m: a second fire was reported near Topaz Lake.

UPDATE 2:31 p.m.: the acreage of the fire has been updated to 250 acres.

UPDATE 2:19 p.m. the acreage of the fire has been updated to 80 acres.

UPDATE 1:56 p.m.
A press release was issued regarding the fire which states the following:

East Fork fire is currently responding to a Brush fire named the #MonarchFire in the Fish Springs Pinenut Creek Rd area, and is asking the public to please stay aware of your surroundings. The fire is moving possibly East of community. Stay aware and alert in the event of wind changes. Call 911 if you need help. Fish Springs, South and East of the community and covering the Sierra Spirit Ranch. We have sent out a cell phone message to those in the area but you may also receive the alert in other areas in the valley. We will continue to update you as the information becomes available.

East Fork Fire Protection District responded Wednesday afternoon to a brush fire off of Pine Nut Road in Douglas County.

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Engine 344 firefighters are on scene Monday afternoon after a report of a wildfire on Lake Tahoe's east shore.

In a program similar to PG&E and other electric utilities in California, NV Energy announced last week that it will implement its own plan that would shut off power to reduce wildfire risk in the Lake Tahoe area in the event of weather-related events such as strong, gusty winds.

UPDATE 11:14AM: The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning from noon to 8 p.m. Friday for the following areas: Southern Mono County, Southern Sierra Front including Alpine, Northern Mono, Southern Lyon, and Western Mineral Counties, West Humboldt Basin in Pershing County and Lahontan Basin including Churchill and Eastern Mineral counties. The Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory for Mono County, Mineral and Southern Lyon counties, Hawthorne, Yerington, Smith Valley, Mina, Schurz, Fernley, Fallon, Lovelock, Silver Springs, Nixon, and Imlay. Carson City, and Carson Valley are not in the Wind Advisory area.
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Strong winds expected Friday has prompted the National Weather Service to issue high wind and fire weather watches for portions of Northern Nevada.

The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center released findings Wednesday from its annual Lake Tahoe Clarity Report, which showed In 2019 the lake's famed clarity decreased nearly 8 feet from the previous year’s dramatic 10-foot improvement. The average annual value in 2019 was 62.7 feet. The lowest value was recorded in 2017, when clarity was 60 feet.

Nevada’s public land management agencies remain committed to protecting all residents and visitors through fostering wildfire-resilient landscapes and communities. As the weather warms up and Nevadans spend more time outdoors, land managers are encouraging residents to recreate safely and responsibly to help prevent wildfires, protect lives and property, and preserve our precious natural wonders that we all love.

Although most retail businesses in the state were allowed to open May 9 to in-person service with extra precautions as part of the state’s “Phase 1” reopening, casino resorts were noticeably excluded.

RENO — With wildland fires eating up the forests and rangelands of Nevada each summer, and fire season now upon us, University of Nevada, Reno scientists are examining how drought, climate change and land management will affect future fire activity and how fires can in turn influence plant, soil and hydrologic processes.

The next Carson City Board of Supervisors meeting will take place Thursday May 7 beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Sierra Room of the Community Center located at 851 E. William Street.

RENO — The forest of the Sierra Nevada mountains is an important resource for the surrounding communities in Nevada and California. Thinning the forest by removing trees by hand or using heavy machinery is one of the few tools available to manage forests.

UPDATE: According to Animal Control Officer Stephanie Baeta, the dog is safely in custody at the Carson City Humane Society.

What was relayed to Officer Baeta by the shepherds is that the dog attacked the sheep, and the presumed owner of the dog attempted to pull the dog away, at which point the dog attempted to bite the owner, so the owner abandoned the dog on the scene. The shepherds were left to contain the dog, and animal control arrived on scene shortly after.

The dog, who Officer Baeta reports has been very gentle and sweet with animal control staff, is in a ten day bite quarantine. If no owner comes forward to claim the dog after ten days, it will become property of the humane society and they will be evaluated for adoption.

She also said they were able to save one lamb following the attack.

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Two ewes (mother sheep) and four baby lambs were killed Thursday after an unleashed dog attacked the herd of firefighting sheep that are currently working their way through Carson City's foothills mowing down cheat grass.

Hundreds of sheep will arrive in the hills west of Carson City this week and next week, with heightened alert and expectations as fire season arrives when the rain and snow stops and the heat settles in.

Even with the stay-at-home order in place, businesses, families and youth can engage in a number of educational activities online to enhance their daily lives and help themselves, and others, through these challenging days. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, University of Nevada, Reno Extension faculty, staff and volunteers have been hard at work to bring educational workshops, programs and resources useful during this time, into Nevadans’ homes.

On February 28, NV Energy filed its Natural Disaster Protection Plan with the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada per Senate Bill 329, that outlines how the company plans to help protect the public from the impacts of natural disasters on its electric infrastructure that have been experienced in other Western states.