Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Supported by

2018 Wildfire Season One Of The Worst, BLM Says

The Bureau of Land Management says the 2018 wildfire season in Nevada was one of the worst on record.

The Elko Daily Free Press reports the state saw its largest wildfire ever in a fire season that began almost six weeks early.

The Martin Fire near Winnemucca burned an area roughly five times the size of Las Vegas this summer, making it one of the biggest fires in U.S. history as well.

Sponsor Message

BLM officials also saw fires in unexpected places, like higher elevations that have not burned for some time.

The lack of previous fire activity in places like Lamoille Canyon helped cause fires to spread much more quickly.

The BLM says dry summer conditions contributed to the higher than usual fire activity, but the agency also said a majority of wildfires in Nevada this season were set by humans or from human activity.