Highway 395

The Nevada Highway Patrol advises Highway 395 through Washoe Valley, from SR 431 Mount Rose to Carson City will remain closed through Friday and possibly Saturday. Motorists should find alternative routes to Carson City as agencies continue to work on the fire.

10:00 p.m. update: Reno Fire Chief Michael Hernandez said tonight the Washoe Drive Fire has consumed and estimated 3,700 acres, burned at least 20 structures and has resulted in one fatality.

Hernandez would not go into details of how the person died. He said the 250+ firefighters on the scene have stopped the forward progress of the fire. He said the fire started in the East Lake area, and then followed the Highway 395 corridor north, where it was stopped just south of Galena High School.

UPDATE 510PM: Fire burns more than 3,000 acres with zero containment; 4,000 evacuated; no count on home and structure losses.

At 4:40 pm this afternoon, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, under his constitutional and statutory authority, made a state declaration of emergency which qualifies local governments for federal assistance associated with this event. The National Guard is on standby at the request of Sandoval and Washoe County. California has also provided fire assistance as part of a Governor to Governor agreement with Jerry Brown. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been and are being affected by this fire,” Sandoval said. “Declaring a state of emergency ensures that every resource from the local, state and federal level is available to assist. The Nevada Division of Forestry and the Department of Public Safety have also engaged with local responders.” Additionally, Nevada has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG). As a result, Nevada is eligible for up to 75 percent funding assistance for eligible costs. The request was made by the Nevada Division of Forestry on behalf of Washoe County at the onset of the fire.

More below the fold.

Due to a project to complete a new north-south water transmission line on the east side of Carson City, Fairview Drive will be closed on Tuesday, January 10, and Wednesday, January 11, between E. Fifth Street and Butti Way. Detours will be marked.

There will be work at the following locations as a result of the Freeway Landscaping Project. No closures are expected, but traffic control will be in effect.

• North Carson Street, in the vicinity of the freeway overpass.
• Arrowhead Drive between N. Carson Street and Garnet Way.

Motel 6 announces the opening of a new franchise property in Carson City, Nevada. The 82-room property, which was previously a Motel 6 corporate subsidiary, is located at 2749 S. Carson Street in Ormsby County, near U.S. Highway 395/S. The franchised property is now owned and operated by Carson City Hotel Group, LLC, and Clay Helm has been named the new general manager overseeing the property.

Butti Way between Fairview Drive and Airport Road and Airport Road between Butti Way and Desatoya Drive will continued to be closed through Tuesday, November 22. These roads are expected to reopen on Wednesday, November 23. Those wishing to access the Public Works building may do so via Fairview Drive to westbound Butti Way. Those wishing to access the Parks and Recreation Department offices or the Jump Around Carson (JAC) transit office may do so via the south gate to the Public Works Corporate Yard off of Butti Way, south of Airport Road.

The Carson Valley Inn is serving a Free Spaghetti Lunch for all Veterans and Active Military – plus one guest – on Veteran's Day, Friday, November 11. The event will be held in the Valley Ballroom from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A 43-year-old woman was seriously injured and taken to Renown Regional Medical Center by Care Flight after being hit in a crosswalk on Monday afternoon in Gardnerville, the Nevada Highway Patrol reports.
An accident investigation indicates the woman was walking in a crosswalk to an entrance to an O’Reilly vehicle parts store at 2:37 p.m. on Highway 395 north of Kingslane, said Trooper Dan Lopez.

Project Americans Coming Together will host a Walk for the Constitution Saturday at the old Kmart shopping center at Highway 395 and College Parkway in north Carson City.PACT hopes to educate peopl...

A 25-year-old Minden man died Saturday in a motorcycle crash on U.S. Highway 50 east of the Douglas County line on Spooner, seven miles west of Highway 395 in Carson City, the Nevada Highway Patrol reports.

According to NHP Trooper Chuck Allen, Edwin Bruno-Mazariego was riding his green 2008 Kawasaki ZX600P motorcycle east bound on the four-lane highway. For reasons still unknown, he failed to negotiate a left hand curve and departed the travel lane striking the adjacent section of guardrail.

12:10 p.m. update: The Associated Press is reporting that the Carson City Sheriff's Office has confirmed that the shooter in the Carson City IHOP incident has died of his self-inflicted gunshot wound.

By the Nevada Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Each year, the National Pony Express Association re-creates the Pony Express of 1860-1861 by riding from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California. Mormon Station State Historic Park is hosting this event in Genoa at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, August 26.
The national, 10-day, 24 hour-a-day event includes more than 600 riders stationed at intervals to relay a mochila (mailbag) filled with Pony Express Mail for the 1,966 mile ride.

9:15 p.m. Update: Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center reports that the Ray May Fire has claimed one habitable structure. No other details were released.

Voluntary evacuations are in place for the Pinenut Creek and Lena Lane. Pinenut Road remains open to local residents only.

The fire has grown to 2,730 acres. There are 5 air tankers, 6 helicopters, 15 engines, 2 water tenders, 2 dozers and 414 personnel working the fire.

"Fire continued to make runs to the north and east this afternoon driven mainly by wind. Firefighters will continue to construct direct line around the perimeter of the fire tonight, utilizing crews, engines, and dozers.

"The Fire is currently being managed by Local Type III organization. Additional resource will be arriving within the next 24 hours to assist in the management and containment of the fire."

You can catch live updates here.

Flames could be seen in Gardnerville from a 2,000-acre wildfire that raged through the Pine Nuts above Pine View Estates on Tuesday.Highway 395 was reopened by the Nevada Highway Patrol at 10:41...

The Ray May Fire south of Gardnerville is now estimated to have grown to 1,000 acres and moving northeast. NDOT is now reporting that Highway 395 is now open. There are reports that two structures have burned. Pine View Estates is under a voluntary evacuation order.

According to Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center, there are 185 firefighters on the scene, 7 air tankers, 4 helicopters, 19 engines and 2 water tenders.

Viewed from Carson Valley, it appears the entire ridgetop is on fire.

Go here for live updates.

You can see more photos of the fire here and here.

The tiny Topaz Post Office has been added to a list of 3,655 post offices under review by the U.S. Postal Service to close next year.Located across the border in California at Highway 395 and Topaz...

Nevada Highway Patrol reports that Gardnerville resident Terry Lyn Elmer, 46, was killed yesterday when the commercial vehicle he was driving collided head-on with a Ford truck towing a trailer on Highway 395.

The following is the statement released by NHP:

One person is dead after a three-vehicle accident south of Gardnerville on Highway 395. The driver of a southbound yellow van was killed 11:14 a.m. after he crossed the centerline into the path ...

Here is the Carson City road construction and maintenance report for Monday July 25 through Sunday, July 31. Beginning Tuesday, July 26, Saliman Road will be closed at Robinson Street for construction of a water transmission line. Detours will be marked. The road is expected to remained closed until Aug. 21.

A fatal crash on Highway 395 at Airport Road in Douglas County remains under investigation by the Nevada Highway Patrol.
Here is the text of an NHP news release sent today:

MINDEN - A 10-year-old boy died from injuries he received in a rollover accident on Highway 395 just north of Airport Road on Thursday evening.The preliminary crash investigation indicates a silver...

A 10-year-old boy died from injuries sustained in a single vehicle rollover accident on Thursday eight miles south of Carson CIty in Douglas County, the Nevada Highway Patrol reports. The boy and the driver of the SUV were taken by Care Flight where the child later died of his injuries at a Reno hospital.

The boy, Felix Vargas, was in the SUV with seven others when it rolled over, with the boy being thrown from the vehicle, said NHP Trooper Dan Lopez.

By the Nevada Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Bats are some of the most misunderstood animals.
Join park volunteer and bat expert, Brian Buttazoni, for this informative evening program “The World of Bats.”
Learn about what bats eat, where they live, how they are beneficial to humans and how to observe them.
WHAT: An evening with bats
WHEN: Saturday, July 16, 8:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Tioga Road will open for the season on Saturday, June 18 at 8 a.m. for all vehicle traffic, Yosemite National Park officials announced Wednesday.

Tioga Road, which is accessed by Highway 395 at Lee Vining in Mono County, Calif. and is bound by both sides by State Highway 120, is the popular east-west crossing of the Sierra Nevada.

By the Nevada Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
This is a final reminder that the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park is extending its tour schedule through June 30. After that date, Nevada State Parks will discontinue its operation of the park.

By the Nevada Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Nevada State Parks invites the public to a weekend of free historic events at Mormon Station State Historic Park. 
For more information, please contact the park at (775) 782-2590.

June 18: Pioneer Living History Day
Bring the family and enjoy a living history day with the Sierra Nevada and Truckee Meadows Mormon Pioneers. 

A 73-year-old California man was killed Wednesday morning after his pickup crossed the centerline on Highway 395 south of Gardnerville and collided with an oncoming semi.The Nevada Highway Patro...

One person died in an accident today three miles south of Gardnerville in Douglas County, the Nevada Highway Patrol reports.

An early investigation into the accident shows that the driver of a 2004 Ford F-150 was pulling a camper trailer and traveling in the southbound lane of Highway 395. For reasons that remain unclear the Ford, occupied by a 73-year-old male from California, drifted into the northbound travel lane and hit a commercial vehicle driven by a Wisconsin resident, said NHP Trooper Daniel Lopez.

By the Nevada Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
This is a reminder that the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park is extending its tour schedule through June 30. After that date, Nevada State Parks will discontinue its operation of the park.

By the Nevada Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
The Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park is extending its tour schedule through June 30. After that date, Nevada State Parks will discontinue its operation of the park.