Thanks to the dedication and collaboration of numerous fire-fighting entities and personnel, the Davis Fire is nearing full containment. The structural loss comprised two commercial buildings, 14 residences, and 22 outbuildings. Below is a recap of the fire and resources that residents may need as they move back into the evacuated zones.
Fire Jurisdiction
The Davis Fire was managed under the unified command of Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, the U.S. Forest Service – Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, and the Bureau of Land Management, Nevada. “Unified command” refers to a collaborative approach in incident management where multiple agencies coordinate and work together to respond to fires.
Due to the rapid expansion of the fire and the need for additional crews, the unified command requested a Type I Incident Management Team (IMT), and the Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team arrived on Monday, Sept. 9, the IMT assumed management of the incident.
Communications on the fire were led by the IMT and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, while communications on the evacuations and shelters were in the jurisdiction of Washoe County Joint Information Center. Daily updates were added to the official incident page at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nvhtf-davis-fire. Additionally, the IMT recorded and shared its morning incident updates on YouTube.
NV Energy de-energized lines to the fire zone, and several local news stations lost on-air broadcasting capabilities for several days. Information was updated on news websites, streaming services, social media, and print and radio news outlets.
Timeline
Saturday, Sept. 7, the fire broke out around 2:30 p.m. in the Davis Creek Regional Park Campground. The cause is under investigation. Twelve structures were lost in the initial blaze, including the park ranger’s home on site.
Large portions of south Reno, and an evacuation center was set up at the South Valley’s Library, which was subsequently evacuated and the Senior Center located at 1155 E 9th Street, in Reno was chosen as a second location. Washoe County Regional Animal Services brought in mobile shelters on site for small animals. Large animals were evacuated to the UNR Equestrian Center in Reno or Fuji Park in Carson City for those who could not get to Reno.
Washoe County declared a state of emergency and the Emergency Operations Center was activated at a level 2.
By 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 8, fire activity increased, and evacuations were expanded north of Nevada State Route 431 (Mt. Rose Highway) to include Arrow Creek, Sky Tavern, Mt. Rose Ski Resort, and Logan Meadows. Approximately 6,700 NV Energy customers were without power, and NV Energy initiated an information page on its website. The State of Nevada declared a state of emergency.
At 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9, the Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1, a Complex Incident Management Team, assumed management of the fire. The fire was approximately 5,000 acres and the evacuation areas remained the same.
Truckee Meadows Fire held a press conference Monday afternoon at the incident command center located at Galena High School, led by Chief Moore, and invited speakers Sheriff Darin Balaam, NV Energy VP Jesse Murray, and County Commission Chair Alexis Hill, who also serves as chair of the Fire Board, to present updates on the fire and what residents should know about evacuations and preparation. The press conference was followed by an impromptu visit to incident command from Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz.
On Tuesday, Sept. 10, the IMT’s fire behaviorist, Stewart Turner, presented a dire outlook on the following few days of the fire. The National Weather Service declared a PDS, particularly dangerous situation, for the following day. This was only the sixth PDS ever issued in this area by the National Weather Service, the last of which was in 2019. With the expected winds, high temperatures, and extremely low humidity point, Turner advised the community to be prepared for the fire to expand up to 7 miles northward, which could result in the loss of hundreds of homes. Reno Fire Chief David Cochran and Truckee Meadows Fire Chief Charles Moore issued a plea to residents to pay attention to emergency notices and not hesitate if they received an order to evacuate.
The IMT held a community meeting at Depoali Middle School to present Turner’s fire projections, and fire authorities answered questions from residents.
By Wednesday, Sept. 11, crews achieved 31 percent containment but faced the PDS, which meant that there would be no aerial attacks until the high winds subsided. The temperatures ranged from 66-71 degrees with southwest winds sustained at 25-40 MPH and gust up to 60-70 MPH. The National Forest Service issued an emergency closure of federal land near the fire, including along the Hunter Creek Trail to the north, Nevada State Route 877 (Franktown Road) to the south, the Forest’s boundary to the east, and U.S. Interstate 580 to the west. It encompassed a portion of the Mt Rose Wilderness including part of the Tahoe Rim Trail.
Despite dire conditions, the fire lines held, and on Thursday, Sept. 12, crews achieved 37 percent containment and began to focus on mop-up. 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. Evacuation orders were downgraded in several areas.
The IMT scheduled another Community Meeting for Friday, Sept. 13, at Depaoli Middle School. As evacuation orders continued to be lifted, Washoe County worked with Waste Management to provide community Dumpsters and extra trash pickup routes to collect spoiled food from those who may have lost power for several days.
Washoe County Emergency Management and the Nevada Division of Emergency Management announced a damage assessment survey for residents who experienced any property damage at any time of the duration of the Davis Fire. This includes everything from burn damage to landscape or water damage due to firefighting efforts. This will help local and state authorities calculate the overall impact of the fire to the community.
All evacuations were lifted on Sunday, Sept. 15, and Mt. Rose Highway was reopened to the public.
Crews continued to mop up over the weekend, and achieved 85 percent containment by Monday, Sept. 16. Widespread showers, cool temperatures, and light winds helped tamp down the fire, but residents should be aware of loose soil and debris in fire-damaged areas that can be prone to flooding.
By today, Tuesday, Sept. 17, the fire is at 92 percent containment and fire personnel are splitting efforts between patrolling fire activity and repairing the affected area. There are no active suppression efforts or mop up occurring at this time.
A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team has been established by the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest to begin a post-fire burned area assessment of National Forest System lands that burned in the Davis Fire. BAER teams coordinate with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Weather Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, and other federal, state, counties, and local agencies as they assess potential post-fire impacts to the effected watersheds.
Investigation
Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office are leading the investigation into the cause of the Davis Fire. If you have credible information, or if you were in the vicinity of the day-use area at Davis Creek Regional Park on Sept. 7 at the start of the fire, contact 775-326-6079 or email: info@tmfpd.us.
Resources
Washoe County added a list of resources that residents may need as they repopulate the evacuation zones. The resources were added to the Emergency Washoe website, a site used by several jurisdictions during regional disasters.
Housing
Have you lost your home or been displaced due to fire? Washoe County Human Services Agency can provide information on short- and long-term housing, as well as shelter information.
(775) 785-8600 or https://washoecounty.gov/hsa/index.php
Animals
If your pet is lost, there’s a great chance it is at Washoe County Regional Animal Services. You can view all the pets at the shelter here, or call (775) 353-8900 for assistance.
Did you find a stray pet? Go to Helping Pets Home to find out how to report a found animal or to find the nearest microchip-scanning station.
Food Assistance
The Food Bank of Northern Nevada can provide gift cards for replacement of food and transportation costs. Call 775.331.3663 or visit https://fbnn.org/.
Mental Health Resources
A disaster takes its toll on mental health, and that is to be expected and is normal. For counseling resources, visit the Washoe County Human Services Agency website or call (775) 785-8600.
Transportation
Whether your vehicle suffered damage or you don’t have the transportation resources to get around and seek assistance, the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County can help. RTC has accessible bus routes, on-demand service called FlexRide, and disaster-recovery assistance. Visit www.rtcwashoe.com or call 775-348-0400.
Damage Restoration
If your home suffered damage, you will need to contact your insurance carrier. Red Cross can assist with insurance questions. Local disaster-restoration services can be contracted right away to begin the repairs and prevent further damage. This is a short list of available contractors, but please call your insurance to be sure they are an approved provider.
- Belfor 775.424.3200
- Nevada Water and Fire Restoration, (775) 856-6666
- COIT, 775-204-3209
- 911 Restoration of Reno, 775-419-0116
- EC Construction, 775-241-1383
Public Health
Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) has resources to help residents with air quality, wells for water, food and septic tanks. For air quality, visit www.airnow.gov for current air quality status and OurCleanAir.com. For septic tanks and wells, learn more here. For food safety, visit this site.
Washoe County thanks the IMT, firefighters, volunteers, support organizations, Washoe County Emergency Management, Nevada Division of Emergency Management, law enforcement, and residents who worked collaboratively to fight the fire and keep the community safe.
September happens to be National Preparedness Month, and the Davis Fire is a great reminder to prepare for disasters so residents are ready when they happen. Pack a bag, make a plan for evacuation, and practice your plan with your loved ones, and know where to find information. Learn more about emergency preparedness here.
