• Carson Now on Facebook
  • Follow Carson Now on Twitter
  • Follow Carson Now by RSS
  • Follow Carson Now by Email

Tamarack Fire explodes to 50,000 acres, 4 percent contained; 395 in south Douglas remains closed

UPDATE 2:44PM: Guided escorts on Highway 395 in south Douglas County were allowed to happen briefly this afternoon before being stopped completely as gusty winds picked up, pushing the fire closer to Highway 395 and homes in the Topaz Ranch Estate area. The residences threatened are in the evacuation zone.
***
The Tamarack Fire has expanded to 50,129 acres as of approximately 9 a.m. on Thursday, July 22, according to updates from InciWeb. The fire now has four percent containment with a total of 1,219 personnel working on the scene.

According to a news release by the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team, there was active fire behavior yesterday afternoon with crowning, short crown runs and prolific spotting as the winds built up. Fuels remain extremely dry.

Highway 395 is closed from China Spring Road to the NV/CA Stateline, and at 395 and SR 208. Highway 89 is closed at the intersection of Highway 4 and 89. State Route 88 is closed in California. For road closure specifics visit https://roads.dot.ca.gov/ and https://nvroads.com/.

According to a news release, Alpine County Sheriff’s Office and El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office are providing escorts for residents located in the evacuation area to secure pets, papers and emergency items. Escorts will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 to 5 p.m. on July 22, 2021. Locations in the evacuation area are dependent on fire activity.

Additional escorts on future dates will be determined by fire activity. If you are interested in receiving an escort to your residence please proceed to the Nevada/California Stateline located on Foothill Rd.

Evacuations were issued late Wednesday night for all residents in the Topaz Ranch Estates and Topaz Lake areas. Residents were asked to evacuate to Smith Valley High School, located at 20 Day Lane, Smith, Nev.

For updates on fire statistics, road closures, and evacuation information, go to the Tamarack Fire information Facebook page here, or on Twitter here.

Top Stories

... or see all stories

Thursday evening, Carson City Supervisors approved the language for two ballot questions dealing with an increase in taxes for the specific purpose of fixing local roads.

Escape rooms are opening in Carson City this weekend at 716 N. Carson St. Owners Jennifer Smith and Tracey Hudson have worked to create unique escape room experiences that offer classic games alongside all-new puzzles to appeal to game lovers and problem solvers of all experience levels.

Conditions and weather permitting, a number of prescribed fires are in the works through spring to remove fuels that can feed unwanted wildland fires.

There are two prescribed burns around the Lake Tahoe area this week, and a number of fires across the Sierra and into the foothills in western Nevada.

Lanes reduced on U.S. 50 in west Dayton this Friday morning through Monday morning as we replace concrete barrier.

The Nevada State Museum and University of Nevada, Reno conducted archaeological excavations at Fort Churchill State Park in the mid-1970s. Museum staff and research associates are re-examining these collections reflecting U.S. Army and other military units’ occupation of the fort between 1860 and 1869.

Nevada’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage points from February to March and now sits at 5.1 percent, according to the state's Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation’s March 2024 economic report. The labor force in the state shrunk by 114 people.

The Nevada Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs is honored to announce bipartisan approval of a statewide initiative to expand early learning centers and child care access for Nevada families.

The Nevada Supreme Court has upheld the state’s contentious “ghost gun” ban, reversing a lower court’s ruling that the law banning the sale of unfinished frames and receivers of a firearm was unconstitutionally vague.

By state law, once Carson City’s population reaches 60,000 residents, they will be mandated to create a new courtroom complete with a new judge and staff.

However, that comes with a price tag of at least $800,000 in staffing alone — and doesn’t include the price to expand the courthouse.

Reno Tahoe Comedy is proud to present Bobcat Goldthwait at Piper's Opera house in Virginia City on Saturday, April 27. Since his first appearance on the David Letterman Show at the age of 20, Bobcat has gone on to maintain a thriving career as a writer, director, actor, voice actor and stand-up comedian.

The Nevada State Prison Preservation Society is once again offering tours to the community beginning in May and continuing through the month of October.

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Carson City will host its first "Walking as One at 1" labyrinth walk on Saturday, May 4 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at 314 N. Division at Telegraph.

"Walking as One at 1" happens on World Labyrinth Day each year where participants across the globe engage in a labyrinth walk at 1 p.m. local time. This synchronized practice creates a 24-hour rolling wave of peaceful energy that passes from one time zone to the next across the world. The idea is to collectively contribute to a sense of unity and harmony.

The Carson City School District will host a quarterly Community Connections event next week, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, from 5:45-7:30 p.m. at Carson High School.

Carson Animal Services Initiative, also known as CASI, welcomes the community to enjoy an evening of great music, delicious food and wonderful live and silent auction items to support animals in need.

Earlier this month it was announced that Carson City’s Burlington Coat Factory would be closing. Rumors of a potential Hobby Lobby taking its place have now been substantiated.

The popular craft store applied for a permit for the location Wednesday, according to the Carson City Planning Division.

MINDEN — The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced that it has published preliminary copies of the revised Flood Insurance Rate Map and Flood Insurance Study report for Douglas County and incorporated areas. These materials are available for public viewing on FEMA's website.

Hello fellow anglers. Yes, it is that time of year for the California opening day fishing season. This year we actually will have an opening day. Last year with our excessive snow pack, we were not able to get on many rivers until mid summer due to runoff.

Carson City Fire Department and multiple agencies will host the 2nd annual wildfire education and preparedness workshop for the community Tuesday, April 30.

Nevada Humane Society, Carson City branch Pet of the Week is Macy, a 6-year-old gal who has been at our shelter since the end of January. She was surrendered because her owner could no longer have animals.

Nevada State Museum staff invite all to contribute to a bee hotel this Saturday, April 20 as they celebrate Earth Day in Carson City. Participants are encouraged to contribute to the bee hotel, a nesting place for solitary bee friends, and learn about other ways you can help native pollinators.

Drawing on humor splashed with insight, nationally recognized syndicated cartoonist Brian Crane, also known as “Mr. Pickles,” packed the house as guest speaker Tuesday at the Carson City Senior Center.

The Carson City Sheriff’s Office would like to provide some tips related to online safety for juveniles. It is important for parents to know how to set up their children’s devices for several reasons.

Carson Area MPO

Carson Area Metropolitan Planning Organization has posted a draft "Local Road Safety Plan" for public review and comment. A Local Road Safety Plan is a method for developing a locally tailored framework for identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing roadway safety improvements.

While waiting in line I always carry along a little Kipling, mainly to call upon this one little snippet to sustain me, “If you can wait and not be tired by waiting.” I do love his epic little poem, “If.” That poem has helped me to maintain my balance on more occasions than I can count.

The Historic Fourth Ward School Museum in historic Virginia City is pleased to announce the much-anticipated third annual Victorian Tea Party and Historic Fashion Show, scheduled for Mother’s Day weekend on Saturday, May 11, 2024.

The Carson City Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit is proud to announce the addition of two new K9 teams. Our latest additions have just completed K9 school and are now deployed to the Patrol Division of the Sheriff’s Office. The addition of these two K9s maintains our service of seven dog teams, as we continue toward our organizational goal of eight K9 teams to provide full-time coverage for the Carson City community.

Lane reductions will take place Fridays through Mondays on U.S. 50 in Dayton beginning Friday, April 19 as the Nevada Department of Transportation replaces concrete barrier rail in the highway median.

The four Douglas County School District board members who have been front and center through controversy since being elected in November 2022 all pulled out of a decision to accept a settlement agreement on a Writ of Mandamus during their meeting last Tuesday.

The 42nd annual Chili on the Comstock returns to heat up Virginia City on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19. As a qualifier for the International Chili Society World Finals, guests can indulge in a diverse array of chili styles, from spicy to mild and chili verde, all expertly crafted by some of the finest chili cooks in the West.

The next Carson City Board of Supervisors meeting will be held on Thursday, April 18, 2024 beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Bob Crowell Boardroom of the Community Center, located at 851 E. William Street.