Davis Fire near Reno mostly contained, officials say

SEPT. 16 — Authorities in northern Nevada on Sunday lifted the last of evacuation orders for all homes affected by the Davis Fire. Officials said the fire is now classified as being in a state of mop-up with many restoration and repair projects underway.

More than 600 personnel are working the wildland blaze that destroyed 14 homes and burned through nearly 9 square miles of timber and brush along the Sierra Nevada’s eastern slope near Lake Tahoe.

The Davis Fire was estimated at 85% containment on Monday.

Meanwhile, firefighters also gained new ground over the weekend in combating three Southern California wildfires. Officials say increased humidity and light rain are expected to further aid efforts over the next few days.

SEPT 14 — Officials on Saturday said the Davis Fire is 76% contained after burning nearly 6,000 acres between Reno and Carson City.

For further updates, see local fire agency updates on social media and their respective websites.

SEPT. 13 (8 A.M.) — The Davis Fire is now 56% contained, officials said Thursday night. See the latest update here:

SEPT 12 (1:58 P.M.) — Some evacuation orders were downgraded to evacuation warnings on Thursday afternoon, the Washoe Sheriff's Office announced Thursday afternoon.

Residents in the following areas are allowed to return to their homes: North of State Ruote 431 and east of Timberline Drive; south of SR431 and all neighborhoods east of and accessed by Callahan Road; Logan Meadows

"As you return home, please use an abundance of caution. There are a multitude of first responders moving about the area as the fire is still active and firefighting efforts continue. As this is an active fire, there remains the possibility that evacuation levels can change. Remain ready to leave if needed," they wrote.

Mt. Rose Highway remains closed at Bordeaux Drive. St. James Village, Galena Estates and Montreaux neighborhoods remain closed.

"Low to moderate fire behavior is expected today," U.S. Forest Service officials said Thursday morning. "Firefighters will continue mop-up operations, though isolated pockets of smoke will still be visible. Mop-up refers to the process of extinguishing or eliminating any remaining hot spots, embers, or smoldering debris after the main fire. Mop-up activities include dousing burning material with water, breaking apart hot debris, turning over ashes, cutting down or clearing any trees or vegetation that may still be smoldering, and making sure the perimeter is secure. Crews will also be removing any hazard trees that have burned and are at risk of falling across any fire lines or roads."

SEPT 12 (8:25 A.M.) — More than 600 firefighters kept the blaze from growing Wednesday despite high winds that grounded all aircraft that had dropped retardant on the flames over the past two days.

The fire was about 37% contained Wednesday night.

Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue and the Washoe County sheriff are leading the investigation into the cause of Davis Fire. If you have any credible information or if you were in the vicinity of the day-use area at Davis Creek Regional Park on Sept. 8 at the start of the fire, contact 775-326-6079 or email info@tmfpd.us.

SEPT. 11 (1:19 P.M.) — Shelter for Davis Fire victims have been relocated to Neil Road Recreation Center.

While aircraft activity is limited on Wednesday, officials said, "as of yesterday, rotor-wing aircraft delivered 208,000 gallons of water, with Super Scoopers contributing 196,000 gallons. Additionally, fixed-wing aircraft dropped 98,000 gallons of fire retardant."

The post from U.S. Forest Service continued, "The majority of the heat has been in the western side of the fire. With predicted high winds, dry fuel conditions, and slope alignment, fire managers anticipate extreme fire behavior, including potential movement to the north and long-range spotting."

SEPT. 11 (8:07 A.M.) — A 34-person strike team from the Clark County Fire Department and three other local fire departments in Southern Nevada is being deployed to Washoe County to assist with efforts to fight the Davis Fire near Reno, the county said this morning.

The fire is currently at 5,646 acres with 31% containment. Fourteen structures, mostly residential, have been lost to the fire.

The Reno Fire Department on Wednesday morning extended evacuation warnings as a Red Flag Warning threatened to push flames north. A Red Flag is a weather alert meaning gusting winds could cause fire conditions to get out of control.

Fire Chief Charles Moore with the Truckee Meadows Fire Department said this Red Flag is a weather event called a PDS — a particularly dangerous situation — which has only been called once in the past five years.

"What complicates that, is that at 40 mph, we can't fly any aircraft," Moore said, noting the rough terrain adding to the complicated task.

"What we're preparing for is to be fully engaged in structure protection and keeping you safe," he said. "The fire weather is going to be very serious and I can't emphasize that enough."

Watch the community meeting from Tuesday night:

SEPT. 10 (11 A.M.) — Officials say the Davis Fire is estimated at 5,596 acres with 0% containment.

A community briefing is planned for Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. at Depoali Middle School, 9300 Wilbur May Parkway in Reno.

The U.S. Forest Service released the following information:

Highlights

Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1 assumed command of the #DavisFire at 6 p.m. on Monday, September 9th. Active fire behavior was seen along the southwestern portion of the fire yesterday in the vicinity of Mount Rose Highway. Aircraft were limited due to wind and smoke conditions, but crews were able to take advantage of natural features and roadways to directly attack the fire. Strike teams and engines from local jurisdictions were able to continue structure protection in and around all impacted communities and additional resources begin to arrive from around the country to support. Four super scooper aircraft have been assigned to the incident, increasing the speed at which water can be delivered to support firefighting efforts across the fire area.

Fire activity

Overnight, crews and engines worked to construct direct line in areas around the south and western flanks of the fire but were challenged by very active fire behavior. A spot fire established in the lower portion of Browns Creek, east of Hidden Lake and crews were able to gain access and begin building line. Engines were also closely monitoring fire activity in and around communities, extinguishing any heat that could pose further risk to homes and property. Today, along the north and eastern edges of the fire, crews and engines will continue to monitor and mop up heat sources near the line, working to gain containment in the areas along Interstate 580. On the southern perimeter of the fire, Interagency Hotshot Crews will continue to go direct, building line directly on the fires edge, preventing any continued growth to the south. The southwestern corner of the fire is expected to continue to see extreme fire behavior today with spotting potential up to ½ mile. A mix of aircraft, supported by crews on the ground, will work to check the fire up along Mount Rose Highway, while also scouting secondary containment options.

Weather

A Red Flag Warning has been issued for the area beginning at 11:00 a.m. on September 10th. Expect wind gusts up to 35 mph and relative humidities dropping to single digits at lower elevations. The temperatures will range from 92 at the lower elevations to 74 at the high elevation. A thermal belt will establish overnight, keeping humidities lower than normal.

Evacuations

For updated on evacuation statuses please visit: https://perimetermap.com

ORIGINAL REPORT (SEPT. 9) — Out-of-control wildfires in the foothills of a national forest east of Los Angeles and in a recreational area south of Reno, Nevada, threatened buildings and forced hundreds of residents to flee amid a days-long heat wave of triple-digit temperatures.

In California, the so-called Line Fire was burning along the edge of the San Bernardino National Forest, about 65 miles east of Los Angeles. As of Monday morning, the blaze had charred about 32 square miles of grass and chaparral and blanketed the area with a thick cloud of dark smoke.

It remained uncontained, threatening more than 36,000 structures, including single and multi-family homes and commercial buildings, the U.S. Forest Service said.

About 20 miles outside Reno, Nevada, the Davis Fire, which started Saturday afternoon, has grown to about 6,500 acres as of Sunday night. It originated in the Davis Creek Regional Park in the Washoe Valley and was burning in heavy timber and brush, firefighters said. It, too, was not contained.

An emergency declaration issued for Washoe County by Gov. Joe Lombardo on Sunday said about 20,000 people were evacuated from neighborhoods, businesses, parks and campgrounds. Some of south Reno remained under the evacuation notice on Monday, firefighters said, and some homes, businesses and traffic signals in the area were without power.