I-580 and Eastlake reopen, structures lost in 2,000-acre Little Valley Fire

UPDATE 6:22PM: The Little Valley Fire has burned more than 2,000 acres and 22 homes. The fire is burning west of Franktown Road, moving north toward Bowers Mansion and Joy Lake Road. The Unified Command transitioned to the Sierra Front Type 3 Incident Management Team at 5 p.m.

“Firefighter and public safety are our primary concern, please avoid the area and watch for fire apparatus in the fire area,” said Incident Commander Stacy Saucedo. A Type 1 Team has been ordered in addition to the Type 3 Team and is expected to arrive Saturday.
Road Closure: Old US 395A from the overpass on I-580 and old 395 to Carson City/Washoe County line. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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UPDATE 3:01PM: Residents evacuated on the east side of I-580 and East Washoe Lake are being allowed to return home this afternoon, the TMFPD reports.
Residents in Galena, Montreaux, Joy Lake Road, and St. James are also being allowed to return home, but they should be prepared to leave again on short notice, the TMFPD said.
Livestock that has been evacuated, however, need to remain away from the area until further notice.
Power is out in West Washoe Valley and the 395 corridor, the TMFPD reports, and will remain out through Saturday to prevent arcing power lines.
TMFPD Chief Charlie Moore has said the cause of the 2,000-acre Little Valley Fire, which has burned 19 homes and 14 other structures, could be from the prescribed burn conducted last week in the Little Valley area.
About 300 firefighters remain on the line battling the blaze, which started a little before 2 a.m. Friday morning.
Meanwhile, the 200-acre Emerald Fire at South Lake Tahoe, which started just after 1 a.m. Friday, is reported to be 25 percent contained as of about 12:15 p.m. Friday, according to CAL Fire.
But 500 residents evacuated earlier this morning remain on evacuation, while another 500 residences have been placed under voluntary evacuation status, KRNV News 4 reported.
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UPDATE 1:46PM: The Little Valley Fire has burned another home in its path, raising the toll to 19 homes, seven outbuildings and seven barns.
The fire continues to threaten communities around northern Washoe Valley, as well as neighboring Montreux and Galena areas. The current burn area remains estimated at 2,000 acres and no containment has yet been reported.
Moisture continues to fall in the Washoe Valley area, as reported by KRNV News 4, providing some hope of relief for firefighters battling the blaze.
Fuji Park Fairgrounds in South Carson City continues to function as an evacuation center for affected residents with livestock.
The Wyndam Garden Hotel, 900 S. Carson Street in Carson City, is offering a special rate for evacuees, said Hotel Sales Manager Stuart Wexler.
"The regular rate is $139," he said, "and we are offering a $77.40 rate for evacuees."
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UPDATE 12:57PM: The TMFPD has reported that 18 homes have been burned by the Little Valley Fire, along with seven outbuildings and seven large barns. Current burn area remains estimated at 2,000 acres and no containment has yet been reported.
Moisture has been reported in the Washoe Valley area by KRNV News 4, lending some of nature's support to the firefighting efforts.
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UPDATE 12:06PM: The TMFPD reports that firefighters estimate 18 structures have burned from the Little Valley Fire, which now stands at around 2,000 acres in size. About 300 firefighting personnel are on scene battling the blaze and as many as 200 additional engines have been ordered to assist.
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UPDATE 11:21AM: Assistant Washoe County Manager Kevin Schiller has declared a State of Emergency on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners, the TMFPD has reported.
“Declaring a State of Emergency allows us to increase capacity and resources to manage the fires,” said Schiller. “We thank our emergency responders who are working hard to protect citizens. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by these fires.”
Firefighters confirm structures have been damaged by the Little Valley Fire. The extent of damage and the number of structures impacted is not known at this time.
“There is zero containment on the Little Valley Fire," said TMFPD Chief Charles Moore. "All of Washoe Valley is still considered to be at risk. Spot fires are a continual threat due to high winds in the area.”
Unified command composed of the TMFPD, Nevada Division Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service are fighting the Little Valley Fire.
The TMFPD estimates the Little Valley Fire has now grown to 2,000 acres in size, and 200 more engines are en route to help battle the blaze.
Air support is ready as soon as conditions allow. Until then, there is a very aggressive hand crew attacking the blaze.
The fire is currently burning west of Franktown Road, and is moving north toward Bowers Mansion and Joy Lake Road.
KRNV News 4 reports peak wind gusts so far through the Washoe Valley are reaching 74 miles per hour, while peak gusts over Slide Mountain have reached as high as 91 miles per hour.
There is still no containment to report at this time.
Fuji Park in Carson City continues to serve as an evacuation center for residents with livestock.
Meanwhile Sierra Adrenaline, located at 4630 U.S. Highway 50 East, Suite 7, in Carson City, will open its doors at 4 p.m. this afternoon for evacuees that need a place to stay due to the local wildfires, said business owner Brian Beck of the Sierra Adrenaline Training Center.
If needed, the facility will house families overnight at the gym with a warm place to stay, Beck said.
"We have plenty of mat space for people to stay and sleep tonight if needed," he said. "We do not have showers, but restrooms and a safe place to sleep."
Sierra Adrenaline owners Brian and Marissa Beck can be contacted at 775-450-8954.
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UPDATE 9:55AM: The Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) reports Interstate 580 and Eastlake Blvd. through Washoe Valley are now open in both directions. Old Highway 395 alternate is currently open to local resident traffic only.
TMFPD reports 100 percent containment of the Rolling Hills Fire near Galena within the hour. The Rolling Hills Fire was a second fire that started while crews were battling the Little Valley Fire earlier this morning.
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UPDATE 9:15AM: KRNV News 4 has an update on the Emerald Fire burning off Highway 89 near Emerald Bay and Cascade Lake in El Dorado County, California. As of three hours ago, that blaze had burned at least 200 acres and forced the evacuation of more than 500 homes in the area, My News 4 reports.
The fire was first reported around 1:30 a.m. Friday by the California Fire Scanner, according to KRNV's Twitter page.
Incline Middle School on the Washoe County, Nevada, side of Lake Tahoe is serving as an evacuation center for the Emerald Fire, KRNV has Tweeted.
No containment reported yet.
As of 9 a.m., the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center (SFIDC) reported the Little Valley Fire in Washoe Valley has grown in size to about 1,000 acres, burning through timber, sage and grass. The fire is being pushed eastward by high winds, SFIDC reported, creating erratic fire behavior. Interstate 580 is closed to Old Washoe, per the SFIDC.
Click the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) road report web page here for updated information on current road closures.
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UPDATE 8:55AM: KRNV News 4 is reporting that a second fire has broken out in the Galena area, closing Edmonton Drive. An evacuation center for livestock has been established at the Fuji Park Fairgrounds in South Carson City, News 4 reports.
Southbound I-580 has reopened to traffic, per KRNV.
Click the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) road report web page here for updated information on current road closures.
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UPDATE 8:25AM: KRNV Channel 4 in Reno is reporting one structure has been destroyed by the Little Valley Fire moving north through Northern Washoe Valley toward Joy Lake Road. There is potential for the flames to move toward additional structures, KRNV reports.
Fire crews have estimated that the Little Valley Fire has consumed 750 acres so far with no containment at this time, according to KRNV.
Pleasant Valley and Hunsberger elementary schools and Galena High School are closed this morning.
Jenny Ramella, public information officer for the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said Friday morning that air support is on stand-by until winds die down, and multiple structures have been effected. But rain in the area is helping to slow the progression of the fire.
Konnie McGruder, Executive Director of Sierra Therapeutic Equestrian Program off Bellevue Road in Southern Washoe Valley, reported by telephone this morning that her area has not received evacuation orders yet.
UPDATE 8:10AM: TMFPD reports that the Little Valley Fire is moving toward Joy Lake Road on the north end of Washoe Valley. TMFPD also reports that Eastlake Blvd and Highway 395 have reopened to north-south traffic.
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UPDATE 7:57AM: Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District (TMFPD) is reporting that the Little Valley Fire is currently more than 100 acres in size.
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UPDATE 7:42AM: The Clear Creek Fire that burned Thursday night in south Carson City is 100 percent contained. There were several spot fires overnight, but as for now firefighters have it under control, said Carson City Fire Department spokeswoman Stacey Belt.
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UPDATE 7:18PM: Multiple agencies have responded to the Little Valley Fire burning in Washoe Valley, shutting down I-580 in both directions. Evacuations are underway throughout Washoe Valley. We've also learned is a fire burning at south shore Lake Tahoe near Camp Richardson.
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UPDATE 6:57 AM: North Carson Street is closed at Arrowhead, according to Carson City Dispatch. Motorists expecting to travel north via Washoe Valley will not be able to enter the road, according to dispatch.
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A fast moving wildfire burning in Washoe Valley has shut down Interstate 580 between Carson City and Reno this Friday morning. Evacuations are underway for people living on Franktown Road. Officials with Truckee Meadows Fire say anyone living in the area should be prepared to evacuate.

Evacuations are underway throughout Washoe Valley, said Carson City Undersheriff Steve Albertsen. The Nevada Highway patrol has also closed Old US 395 in both directions between Bellevue Road and Franktown Road as a result of the response. The main part of the fire is burning in north Washoe Valley.

The wildfire has been called the Little Valley Fire. Last week Nevada Department of Forestry conducted a series of controlled burns in the Little Valley area northwest of Carson City in Washoe County. It is unknown at this time if the fire burning now is associated with the controlled burn, which ended a week ago, with mop up of the area this week.

People with horse and livestock trucks are allowed through, according to dispatchers. There is concern about getting livestock from the valley to a safe place.

An evacuation center has been established at Depoali Middle School, 9300 Wilbur May Parkway, Reno. As a precautionary measure, it is recommended that residents with large animals transport them to the Reno-Sparks Livestock Event Center at 1350 N Wells Ave, Reno.

Meanwhile, at south shore Lake Tahoe, A mandatory evacuation order has been issued Friday morning for about 500 homes near South Lake Tahoe because of a 200-acre wildfire burning near Camp Richardson.

The fire, dubbed the Emerald Fire, was sparked about 1:30 a.m. in the area of Cascade Lake and Emerald Bay, according to Cal Fire.

The mandatory evacuations are in effect for Spring Creek, Cathedral, the west shore of Fallen Leaf Lake, Cascade Properties and Cascade Lake.

About 500 homes north of Emerald Bay are under a voluntary evacuation order.

Highway 89 is closed from Camp Richardson to Meeks Bay.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.