2024 Nevada wildfires
Natural disasters in the USA
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The 2024 Nevada wildfire season was a series of wildfires that burned throughout the U.S. state of Nevada during 2024.
Predictions for the 2024 fire season made by the National Interagency Fire Center forecast above average wildfire potential in the northern portion of the state through September and average wildfire potential throughout most of the rest of Nevada.[2]
Background
The typical fire season in Nevada lasts from May to October, the time when vegetation is the driest.[3] However, the timing varies every year based on a number of other factors, including if there is hot, dry weather, the amount of dry vegetation, and when there are more natural causes possible, such as lightning. The peak time of the season is also determined by these factors.[4] Historically, wildfire severity has increased due to large amounts of dry fuel, and acreage typically increases in drought-like and heavy precipitation years.[5]
Summary
In prior years, there had been above-average snow packs (especially in Western Nevada), which had hindered fire activity in previous years. However, this led to the growth of cheat grass, which dies off right before the fire season. This gave the wildfires in 2024 fuel that can allowed them to spread very quickly and ignite easier.[6] Several months were abnormally warm and dry, particularly July to September. Drought was getting worse throughout these months, and July was the hottest month in Reno ever recorded. There was little precipitation throughout these months, as well.[7]
This season included the Davis Fire, which burned south of Reno near New Washoe City in Davis Creek Regional Park. Strong winds in aided the fire’s rapid growth, and erratic winds on September 11 resulted in a particularly dangerous situation to be issued. This was because there was a chance the fire could’ve made an extreme northwards spread and destroyed hundreds of structures.[8] The fire destroyed fourteen structures and twenty-two outbuildings and prompted evacuations for New Washoe City and Southwest Reno.[9]
List of wildfires
The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), or produced significant structural damage or casualties.
| Name | County | Acres | Start date | Containment date[a] | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pizona | Mineral | 2,160 | June 26 | July 5 | Lighting-caused | [11][12] |
| Yellow Peak | Washoe | 1,262 | June 26 | July 2 | Lightning-caused. Burned about 25 miles (40 km) south of Adel, Oregon. | [13][14] |
| Wilder | Humboldt | 17,275 | July 7 | July 14 | Human-caused | [15][16] |
| North Creek | White Pine | 1,100 | July 7 | July 14 | Human-caused. Roughly 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Ely. | [17][18] |
| Whisky Canyon | Lander | 1,246 | July 22 | July 25 | Lightning-caused. Was about 13 miles (21 km) south of Battle Mountain. | [19][20] |
| Stockade Canyon | Washoe | 18,168 | July 24 | August 13 | Threatened historical structures. Ignited by lightning and burned roughly 19 miles (31 km) northwest of Gerlach. | [21][22] |
| Able Flat | Humboldt | 997 | July 24 | July 25 | [23] | |
| Broom Canyon | Nye, White Pine | 8,217 | July 29 | 2024 | Started by lightning. Burned in inaccessible terrain on Currant Mountain about 9 miles (14 km) east of Duckwater. | [24] |
| Hobson | White Pine | 1,080 | August 18 | August 23 | Lightning-caused. Burned about 45 miles (72 km) northwest of Ely. | [25][26] |
| Raglan | Humboldt | 1,787 | August 20 | September 2 | Started from illegal burn. Shut down part of Interstate 80 and led to power outages in Winnemucca. | [27][28] |
| Range 77 | Nye | 7,876 | August 22 | August 25 | Undetermined cause. Burned near Beatty. | [29][30] |
| Davis | Washoe | 5,824 | September 7 | September 25 | 14 structures impacted. Evacuations forced in New Washoe City and Southwest Reno. Started by an improperly extinguished campfire about 15 miles (24 km) south of Reno. | [31][32] |
| Castle Ridge | Elko | 25,885 | October 6 | October 19 | Human-caused. Just north of Midas on Bureau of Land Management lands. | [33][34] |
| Callahan | Washoe | 61 | November 11 | November 21 | Undetermined cause. Forced evacuations for 3,000 people south of Reno. Destroyed one house, two barns, and a gazebo and injured one firefighter. | [35][36][37] |
See also
Notes
- Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out.[10]