CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — An investigation into a prescribed burn that sparked a northern Nevada wildfire that destroyed 23 homes found some questionable practices on the part of the Nevada Division of Forestry.
According to The Little Valley Escaped Prescribed Fire Review, the Nevada Division of Forestry reduced staffing on a controlled burn that went on to spark the October wildfire. The division was supposed to mop up fires within 100 feet of the burn perimeter, but residual heat remained in those areas at the time of the fire.
The state of Nevada ordered the review of the fire after lingering embers from the prescribed burn sparked the fire on Oct. 14.
According to the report, the wind in the area was strong enough to re-ignite material that had previously stopped burning.