Davis Fire picks up again; I-580 opens through Washoe Valley
UPDATE 6:45PM: The Davis Fire is estimated at 6,500 acres with no containment as of Sunday evening. Details from Truckee Meadows Fire forthcoming.
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UPDATE 5:46PM: All Washoe County School District schools, except for Gerlach K-12 School, are closed on Monday, Sept. 9. This includes before and after-school activities and athletic practices.
Also of note, the Washoe County Sheriff's Office reminds people to stay clear of all evacuated areas for the Davis Fire. Air support crews are dropping fire retardants close to residences in evacuated areas.
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UPDATE 3:18PM: Kelsey Penrose was live from near the Davis Fire. See the video report here.
Also, Carson City is advising the Fuji animal shelter is full and the city has opened Silver Saddle Ranch to house more animals. For non-emergency inquiries call 775-887-2677. Also public works wants to remind people that the evacuation for Sunridge Drive is in Reno, not Carson City.
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UPDATE 1:16PM: Truckee Meadows Fire reports that at around 12:30 p.m. Sunday, fire activity increased and evacuation has been reinstated north of Nevada State Route 431 (Mt. Rose Highway) to include Arrow Creek, Sky Tavern, Mt. Rose Ski Resort, and Logan Meadows. For more detail evacuation locations visit perimetermap.com.
I-580 between Reno and Carson City as well as Old U.S. Highway 395 to Eastlake Boulevard have reopened. Old U.S. Highway 395 is still closed from East Lake Boulevard to Bowers Mansion Interchange. South and north bound exits to Mt Rose Highway are closed, so is the highway from Wedge Parkway to the summit. For updates on road closures go here.
Officials urge motorists to use caution when traveling in the area as emergency vehicles and fire apparatus are entering and exiting roadways and power outages have impacted some traffic signals. Some roadways along Mt. Rose highway and the north side of Washoe Valley remain closed. Please avoid the area for the safety of the fire crews, according to Truckee Meadows Fire.
NV Energy advises it is work to restore power to as many customers as possible, but as of 12:30 p.m. there are 6,700 customers without power. Customers who are currently without power should be prepared for prolonged outages throughout the incident and those customers living near the fire who still have power should be prepared for potential additional de-energizations due to the dynamic nature of the fire.
There is an evacuation center set up at the Senior Center located at 1155 E 9th Street in Reno, and Washoe County Regional Animal Services has mobile shelters on site for small animals. Large animals can be taken to the University of Reno Equestrian Center in Reno or Fuji Park in Carson City for those who cannot get to Reno. Several area hotels are offering special rates for evacuees. Call ahead to confirm availability and rates:
• The Row, Reno: $59, resort fees waived
• Nugget Casino Resort, Sparks, $100, use code EVAC24
• Best Western on Nugget Avenue, Sparks, $119, pets allowed
"Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District and the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest are in unified command in management of the fire. “Unified command” refers to a collaborative approach in incident management where multiple agencies coordinate and work together to respond to fires," according to the Truckee Meadows Fire news release.
Cooperating agencies include Reno Fire Department, Sparks Fire Department, Carson City Fire Department, Cal Fire, East Fork Fire Protection District, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Bureau of Land Management, County Sheriff’s Office, NV Energy and Nevada Division of Transportation.
Smoke remains visible in the area Check out the Fire and Smoke Map at airnow.gov for more information on air quality. Check out https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/
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UPDATE 12:17PM: Images from cameras show the Davis Fire has picked up again, with flames being fanned by wind. See alertwildfire.org video cameras here. The mandatory evacuation zone that had been downgraded overnight at Arrowcreek, is now back in place. A Red Flag Warning is in effect. Updates to follow. See Truckee Meadows Fire Facebook page here.
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UPDATE 11:05AM: The Davis Fire has burned 3,300 acres, according to Truckee Meadows Fire in a social media post Sunday morning. See video here.
UPDATE 10:20AM SUNDAY: I-580 is now open between Carson City and Reno, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation. US-395 Alternate is open in Pleasant Valley but remains closed in Washoe Valley.
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The Davis Fire tapered down overnight but remains active and fire crews are assessing damages, according to Truckee Meadows Fire on Sunday morning. As of 9 a.m. Sunday, there's no containment.
"While there appears to be no fire activity, there are numerous hotspots. We anticipate flareups from a wind event expected later this morning that will last throughout the day. This is why evacuations remain in place in areas south of Mt. Rose Highway," according to Truckee Meadows Fire.
Fire crews are working aggressively to suppress this fire and we will lift evacuations as soon as it is safe. There is currently no containment and power remains off in areas south of Mt. Rose Highway.
Firefighters are working hot spots this morning, attempting to get better containment. Residents are being allowed to return home north of Mt. Rose Highway. Some areas may not have power restored.
I-580 between Carson City and Reno is now open. Evacuations remain in effect in St. James Village, Galena and areas south of Mt. Rose Highway. Avoid unnecessary travel in the area.
See NVRoads.com before driving and for future updates regarding closures through Washoe Valley. Alt 395 remains closed.
Meanwhile, a Red Flag Warning in effect today beginning at 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. due to dry and gusty conditions. Fire officials urge people to postpone and avoid all activities that may cause fires. Outdoor cooking and recreational fires are prohibited.
Agencies have yet to report Sunday morning on any new or which structures have been lost or damaged. We will update as more information becomes available.