The Bug Fire perimeter merged with the Fred Mountain Fire to create a combined blaze of 44,303.9 acres as more than 6,000 people have already been evacuated, with thousands more remaining in evacuation warning zones
.
The Bug Fire and Fred Mountain Fire have merged to create a combined fire spanning 44,303.9 acres
, according to mapping data from the National Interagency Fire Center, as the two massive blazes that had been burning separately along the California-Nevada border near Reno came together.
The Bug Fire began Saturday, August 8, northwest of Cold Springs along U.S. 395 near the Nevada-California border
, and
more than 6,000 people have already been evacuated, while thousands more remain in evacuation warning zones
.
Firefighters scrambled to build containment lines around the northern, eastern and southern edges of the sprawling burn.
Containment stands at about 4%
.
The Nevada Army National Guard activated air crew and personnel with two firefighting-equipped helicopters, a CH-47 Chinook and a UH-60 Black Hawk to support aerial suppression efforts
.
Military police and federal crews joined firefighters from Las Vegas and California in battling the flames.
The combined fires are threatening thousands of homes in areas of Washoe County and the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony
.
New evacuation orders were issued near Winnemucca Ranch Road as the fires continued to expand.
“Thousands of Nevadans have been forced from their homes as these fires continue to threaten communities across Washoe County and the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony,” said Governor Joe Lombardo. “The state is taking every available step to support local responders, protect lives and property, and ensure the resources necessary to confront these fires are where they are needed most.”
Nearly 3,000 people who had been forced from their homes were cleared to return as some evacuation orders were lifted.
Several homes have been destroyed, although officials were still assessing the total damage.
Two people—including a firefighter—were injured and released after treatment.
Officials said the Bug Fire was human-caused, but circumstances remained under investigation.
The three fires remained separate incidents, but their evacuation zones have now grown into one another in several areas. For evacuation reporting, the fires are being addressed together as one developing situation
.
The rapidly expanding Bug Fire surged to 15,000 acres along the California-Nevada border and forced mandatory “EVACUATE NOW” orders across northern Washoe County
.
The fire began August 8 northwest of Cold Springs along U.S. 395 near the Nevada-California border and moved east into Washoe County. The fire prompted evacuations in areas including Cold Springs, Canyon Hills, White Lake, Silver Knolls and areas north
.
Heat, bone-dry vegetation and gusty winds fueled the explosive growth of both fires.
The National Weather Service maintained a Heat Advisory across northern Washoe, Lassen and Sierra counties with highs reaching 97 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit and low humidity fueling erratic fire behavior
.
More than 6,000 people have been evacuated due to the wildfires, with thousands more in warning zones. The declaration noted that significant infrastructure is being impacted by the Bug and Fred Mountain Fires, including schools, power lines, natural gas lines, a water treatment facility, a local airport, and telecommunications sites
.
Ground units from Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, CAL FIRE, Reno Fire, and the Bureau of Land Management continue constructing handlines around threatened perimeters
.
Multi-agency coordination underscored the region’s intense firefighting challenge as crews worked around the clock.
Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency for the Bug and Fred Mountain Fires on Monday evening. The state of emergency was set to remain in place until August 17
.