Fire season opens with wind storm

A breezy Saturday could see some more spring rain, which will contribute to a new crop of grass in Western Nevada.

A high wind warning has been issued for 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday opening up with nearly 60 mph gusts forecast in Minden. According to the National Weather Service up to a third of an inch of rain could fall during the day.

On Thursday, Douglas County commissioners declared May as Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month and through October as Lake Tahoe wildfire awareness months.

Cooperative Extension Living with Fire outreach coordinator Megan Kay accepted the proclamation for the state.

“Living with fire works in partnership with local and state officials,” she said. “This year’s theme is ‘Plan, Prepare and Take Action.’ You should prepare a plan for yourself and your family. There are a lot of resources out there.”

This year, University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s Living With Fire Program along with local, state and federal firefighting agencies and community members launched its Nevada Wildfire Awareness Campaign, an annual commemoration of the National Wildfire Awareness Month, with a series of educational events and contests to empower Nevadans to minimize the risks of wildfires in their homes and communities.

“Observing this awareness month in Nevada is critical as our state faces unique challenges and risks associated with wildfires,” said Extension’s Living With Fire Program Manager Jamie Roice-Gomes. “By promoting proactive measures, Nevadans can reduce the wildfire threat in their communities and natural landscapes from the devastating impacts of these fires."

The campaign will kick off with a grant-writing workshop to educate individuals interested in securing funds for wildfire mitigation on how to write successful grant proposals. It will also offer two webinars on the factors that make Nevada landscapes more vulnerable to wildfires and how to foster community-based efforts to mitigate them. Other activities will include contests designed to spur wildfire preventative actions among homeowners and promote understanding of wildfires among the youth.

Since the inception of the Living With Fire Program, more than 25 years ago, Extension, in collaboration with firefighting agencies and other partners, has developed extensive informational resources to create vetted wildfire preparedness messages that communities can rely on to enhance their readiness and resilience in the face of wildfire threats. The program has also recently released a Living With Fire Defensible Space Guide to help homeowners in sagebrush and pine-dominated ecosystems create a buffer around their homes to reduce the risks of wildfires.

On Wednesday, an update by the Great Basin Coordination Center said wet conditions so far in 2024 could actually bring an increased of wildfire this summer.

“Fine fuel loading from a very wet winter last year was well above normal,” a spokesman said on the update.

With two wet winters in a row, increased soil moisture across the Great Basin will encourage the growth of fine, flashy fuels.

The cycle of wet and dry years sees significant wildfire seasons as fuels grow and become increasingly combustible.