Vol. 3, No. 17
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July 1, 2006
Nevada's Online State News Journal
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Top News Story:
FIRE!!!
More Than 150,000 Acres Blackened In This Dry Burnt Country
Fire officials started talking about this summer's potential for fire last summer following a wet winter and mild summer. Grasses left over from last summer have dried, grasses grown during this long wet spring are drying out, and a series of relatively dry thunderstorms have brought devastation to Nevada's wildlands. Fire lines are manned by more than 1,000 firefighters, aircraft are flying long dangerous hours, and there is little let up seen by veterans of the fire service.
Major highways in the Silver State have been closed by fire, firefighters and apparatus have been brought from nearby states, and some fire agency officials fear there may not be enough people and equipment to continue if more fires break out. Officials from Elko County in the east to Washoe County in the west, and south into neighboring counties watched helplessly as a three-day series of very dry thunderstorms moved into and through the area, sparking hundreds of fires. They grew together, blossomed into major conflagrations, and have blackened well over 150,000 acres so far.
Dry winds from the thunderstorms and winds created by the fires themselves drove walls of flame up and down the rocky hillsides of northern Nevada, those hillsides covered with grasses and brush enlivened by a long wet winter and spring. At the height of the disaster, Governor Kenny Guinn declared a state of emergency in northern Nevada.
In the proclamation, Guinn said, "The state of Nevada is doing everything possible to assist those battling the large number of wildfires currently raging throughout northern Nevada." The governor continued, saying, "A significant amount of time remains in the fire season, and the early access to federal and local assistance will enable the state and local communities to get the resources necessary to address this current situation."
The declaration will provide the ability to obtain early access to federal assistance, according to a press release from the governor's office. Fire officials fear just what Guinn pointed out, that this is very early in the fire season, there are months to go in the summer's heat, and equipment and manpower shortages are sure to make the coming months very difficult. The proclamation by the governor will allow for federal assistance as well as for help from nearby states.
Fires of this nature do not follow geographical lines drawn on a map. These fires are affecting communities in northeastern California as well. One Nevada fire has moved close to Susanville, California and has forced the evacuation of some residents.
One positive aspect of the current weather is the immediate approach of the annual monsoon season that generally spreads great amounts of rain into the northern and central areas of Nevada. Southern Nevada always gets drenched during this period, but this year the monsoonal flow could be a major factor in slowing these massive walls of destruction.
In Washington, Nevada Senators John Ensign (R) and Harry Reid (D) have announced federal assistance for the area. The Fire Management Assistance Grant Program has designated the residents affected by fires in Elko County, Washoe County, Lyon County, and Storey County to be eligible for federal funding.
"Fires throughout northern Nevada are threatening not only many homes but the livelihood of many residents as well," Ensign said. "This assistance will help the government move quickly in order to help contain these fires." Ensign said the "Long dry summer ahead of us means that Nevada faces a destructive fire season."
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved grants to cover costs involved in fighting many of the fires in northern Nevada.
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