Davis Fire updates: Sept. 7-10

This page will no longer be updated as of Sept. 11 at 11:10 a.m. Visit KUNR’s Davis Fire live blog for continued updates.

Update Sept. 10 at 9:15 p.m.

The Davis Fire is expected to move significantly on Wednesday, Washoe County officials said this evening.

The fire could move up to seven miles, said fire chief Charlie Moore of the Truckee Meadows Fire District.

“The Fire Weather is going to change significantly tomorrow and we need you to listen to evacuation messages,” Moore said. “An event called a "PDS" (Particularly Dangerous Situation) is going to occur tomorrow, which is a step above a Red Flag Warning. We fully expect that the Davis Fire is going to move and move significantly. Potentially up to seven miles,” he said.

Officials are urging residents to pay attention to new evacuation guidelines.

“We're gonna push out information about evacuation zones tomorrow morning, and we need you to take those messages very seriously and prepare your action plan for you and your families this evening," Moore said.

Residents should also have a go bag with at least three days worth of medications, food and important papers.

Residents are also asked to prepare to evacuate with their pets.

Washoe County School District announced that they are canceling all schools on Sept. 11, except Gerlach K-12 School.

Update Sept. 10 at 12:21 p.m.

The Davis Fire south of Reno continues to burn into its fourth day.

The fire has burned 5,596 acres and remains 0% contained as of Tuesday afternoon, according to officials.

All evacuations remain in place and areas under evacuation orders are closed to the public, said Jason Clawson, operations sections chief.

“At this time, there have been no official changes to the evacuation statuses around the fire perimeter. Additionally, there will not be any special escorts into the fire area today [Tuesday]. Also, we don't have any fire on the other side of the mountain range, into the Tahoe basin,” Clawson said.

The Forest Service reports that 423 personnel will continue to work in areas of high fire activity.

A Red Flag Warning is in effect until 8 p.m. Wednesday for gusty winds and low humidity.

A community meeting has been scheduled for today, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. at Depoali Middle School.

Update Sept. 9 at 12:54 p.m.

Public safety officials started the day with some relatively good news: Using updated mapping data, they were able to adjust the estimated size of the Davis Fire to 4,703 acres – significantly lower than estimates released late Sunday, when the blaze was most active.

Evacuation warnings for the Virginia City area were also lifted early Monday.

“It’s always better to overestimate, and find out that the fire had spread less,” said Chris Eddy, public information officer for the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. “It was a pleasant surprise for us.”

Flames died down overnight, after high winds drove explosive growth on the fire’s western flank and sent flames racing up the slope into dense woods.

But anyone who lives in Northern Nevada can tell you the wind kicks up nearly every afternoon. It’s such a reliable feature of life here, it’s got its own nickname – the Washoe Zephyr.

Forecasters expect afternoon gusts up to 35 miles an hour this week. That could make it harder for crews to get a handle on the fire, which is still zero percent contained.

Click here to continue reading this update on how winds are impacting the Davis Fire.

Update Sept. 8 at 8:13 p.m.

U.S. Forest Service officials estimated the Davis Fire to be approximately 6,500 acres in an update posted to social media Sunday evening, with zero percent containment.

According to the release and images published on the Alert Wildfire website, flames are burning in timber and brush on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada. Such heavy fuels contribute to hotter fires, and present additional challenges for crews who will likely have to battle gusty winds throughout the week.

The fire has impacted 14 structures, although crews must wait for conditions to improve before they can further assess the damage.

Fire activity increased with afternoon winds, but fire crews were able to hold the eastern, northern, and southern boundaries. The fire grew most rapidly on the southern end of the western front, moving to the north and northeast along the Mt. Rose Highway.

Personnel from Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, the Nevada National Guard, the Nevada Division of Forestry, and other agencies continue suppression efforts on the ground and with a variety of aircraft, which have been dumping water and fire retardant on the flames.

Update Sept. 8 at 5:10 p.m.

Many Northern Nevada public schools will be closed Monday, Sept. 9 due to the Davis Fire’s impact on the community.

The Washoe County School District made the announcement late Sunday. Only Gerlach K-12 will remain open for instruction.

“This cancellation is necessary to ensure the safety of our students, families, and staff members, while also helping our region’s public safety personnel,” district officials explained.

The University of Nevada, Reno also canceled some classes. In-person instruction at the Redfield Campus will be suspended Monday, because the UNR outpost is located within mandatory evacuation areas.

Update Sept. 8 at 4:12 p.m.

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency just before 4:00 p.m. Sunday evening.

The declaration directs state and federal agencies to support local governments in their efforts to suppress the Davis Fire, which was rekindled by high winds earlier in the afternoon.

According to the governor’s office, the blaze has burned approximately 5,000 acres and caused the evacuation of approximately 20,000 people.

The state of emergency is scheduled to expire in five days, unless conditions improve sooner.

Update Sept. 8 at 2:35 p.m.

Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District announced that they were reinstating evacuation orders north of Mt. Rose Highway, after the Davis Fire flared up as dry, windy conditions prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Red Flag Warning until 8 p.m. Sunday.

Affected areas include Arrow Creek, Sky Tavern, Mt. Rose Ski Resort, and Logan Meadows.

Containment remains at zero percent and has burned 3,300 acres.

NV Energy restored power to thousands of homes, but as of 12:30 p.m. around 6,700 customers remained without power. The utility de-energized the lines to prevent secondary ignitions and protect first responders.

Authorities cautioned residents to be ready for prolonged outages while the fire continues to burn.

They also announced another large animal shelter at Fuji Park in Carson City, for those who cannot get to Reno.

Several area hotels are offering special rates for evacuees:

• The Row, Reno: $59, resort fees waived
• Nugget Casino Resort, Sparks, $100, use code EVAC24
• Best Western on Nugget Avenue, Sparks, $119, pets allowed
• J Resort, Reno: $49 per night with no resort fee

Update Sept. 8 at 10:53 a.m.

Davis Fire is now 3,300 acres, per the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District.

Update Sept. 8 at 10:30 a.m.

I-580 is now open both directions between Carson City and Reno. U.S. 395A is open in Pleasant Valley, but remains closed in Washoe Valley, according to Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District.

Update Sept. 8 at 9:28 a.m.

The Davis Fire continues to burn in Washoe Valley, having scorched approximately 1,800 acres and destroyed at least 12 structures as of this morning, according to the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District (TMFR).

Residents north of Mt. Rose Highway can return home, TMFR said, though some areas may still lack power. Mt. Rose Highway remains closed.

Evacuations remain in effect for St. James Village, Galena, and areas south of Mt. Rose Highway. For road updates, visit NVRoads.com.

Interstate 580 remains closed from Damonte Ranch Parkway in south Reno to North Carson City.

As of 9 p.m. last night, NV Energy said 18, 698 customers in the Davis Fire area were without power.

A second large animal evacuation site has been opened at Rafter 3C Complex, 245 Miners Rd., Fallon.

Perimeter Map

A full map of evacuation zones can be found on the Perimeter website.

A red flag warning is in effect today from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. due to dry and gusty conditions. The US National Weather Service advises postponing and avoiding all activities that may cause fires. Outdoor cooking and recreational fires are prohibited.

An evacuation warning was issued for the Virginia City Highlands yesterday afternoon. The Storey County Sheriff’s Office said the area will remain on alert for possible evacuations.

The Washoe County Senior Citizen Center at 1155 E. 9th St. will remain open as an evacuation center. A large animal evacuation center is available at the University of Nevada Equine Facility, 1290 Valley Rd, Reno.

NV Energy de-energized initial lines at approximately 3 p.m. yesterday for safety reasons. As of last night, there were 18,698 customers in the Davis Fire area without power due to the emergency de-energization and an additional 179 gas customers have also been affected.

Customers near the fire who have not been de-energized should prepare for potential outages, NV Energy said.

In a press release sent last night, the Governor's Office announced a collaboration with several state agencies to increase response efficiency and prioritize the safety of both residents and first responders.

Update Sept. 7 at 7:45 p.m.

Southbound I-580 from Damonte Ranch Parkway in south Reno to College Parkway in north Carson is closed, according to NDOT.

NV Energy is reporting 9,830 customers are without power. Power lines were de-energized to help keep firefighting personnel safe and to prevent secondary fire ignitions.

The Nugget Casino Resort, located at 1100 Nugget Ave. in Sparks, is offering discounted rooms for fire evacuees by asking for the evacuee rate. A valid ID showing proof of residence is required.

Original story, Sept. 7 at 6:13 p.m.

Multiple structures burned south of Reno in the Davis Fire Saturday after the fast-moving blaze spread rapidly because of strong winds.

Six structures and about 1,500 acres have burned, Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue said after 6 p.m on the social media platform X Saturday. No details are available for those structures.

Mandatory evacuations are in place for Washoe City and areas in South Reno west of I-580 along Mt. Rose Highway. You can see a map here.

In addition, evacuation warnings are in effect for the Virginia City Highlands.

I-580 is closed in both directions from Mt. Rose Highway to Carson City.

An evacuation shelter is being set up at the senior center on 9th Street in Reno. A large animal shelter is available at the UNR equine facility at 1290 Valley Rd. in Reno.