Spring Valley residents allowed back in their homes after fire

Residents of Spring Valley who evacuated due to Tuesday's fire are being allowed back in to survey the damage to their Pine Nut Mountain neighborhood.

Both lanes of Highway 395 are open this afternoon, according to Douglas County. There is still road construction to contend with between Ray May Way and Holbrook Junction.

The size of the fire was revised just before noon Wednesday to 264 acres on a mix of private, public and allotment lands, making it the largest active fire in Nevada today.

9:30 a.m.

Motorists are being escorted by a pilot vehicle on Highway 395 through the Spring Valley Fire south of Gardnerville.

The highway closed shortly after the Spring Valley Fire began at 4 p.m. Tuesday. 

Fire Chief Tod Carlini said the fire jumped the highway heading southwest toward Topaz Ranch Estates.

That prompted an evacuation warning for residents of Holbrook Junction and western Topaz Ranch Estates that was lifted at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

As of Wednesday morning, there isn't any visible smoke apparent on the Bald Mountain Alert Wildfire camera or from Simee Dimeh Summit.

The partial opening of the highway has also allowed NV Energy trouble shooters to begin work to restore power to the last 87 customers.

“As of this morning, our teams have been granted access to the affected area to assess the damage to NV Energy equipment and begin making necessary repairs to restore power,” spokeswoman Meghin Delaney said. “Until our teams have completed a full assessment of the damage, we cannot provide an estimated time of restoration. We plan to complete the assessment later this morning and start repairs shortly after.”

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Highway 395 remains closed this morning while more than 200 firefighters continue to mop up the Spring Valley Fire.

Nevadafireinfo.org reports the fire's cause as human and updated the size to 120 acres.

While reporting no containment, as of 7:30 a.m., there wasn't any major smoke rising from the fire that broke out 4 p.m. Tuesday. 

Douglas County asked residents who didn’t evacuate from Double Spring Flat to stay in their homes while fire crews worked to extinguish hot spots.

Those residents who evacuated in the face of the fire are asked not to return to their homes until fire crews give the all-clear.

NVenergy.com reports 87 customers in the Highway 395 corridor are without power this morning due to the fire.

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Voluntary evacuations for Topaz Ranch Estates were lifted at 8 p.m. and residents may now return to their homes.

The Topaz Ranch Estates Community Center evacuation center is now closed.

The evacuation for Double Spring Flat is still in place. Highway 395 is closed in both directions at Leviathan Mine Road and State Route 208.

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The Spring Valley fire burning south of Gardnerville may well have claimed some structures.

“Upon arrival crews found a large wildland fire running through the Spring Valley Community,” East Fork Chief Tod Carlini said. “Several structures were immediately threatened. Some structure loss is anticipated.”

Carlini said the fire crossed over Highway 395 into an area burned in the 2021 Tamarack Fire.

“(It) is now burning on the west side into the old Tamarack Burn area and into unburned areas of piñon juniper,” he said. “Forty engines, two single-engine air tankers and two helicopters plus associated overhead are working the fire.”

The fire was reported at 4 p.m. and grew rapidly to 100 acres in about an hour. East Fork dispatched a full first alarm response followed by a second alarm and request for mutual aid, Carlini said.

Voluntary evacuations are in place for the area and are being managed by Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

NV Energy turned off the power to the Highway 395 corridor at around 4:20 p.m., affecting 570 customers, spokeswoman Meghin Delaney said.

“Due to an active wildfire in Gardnerville (Spring Valley Incident), we have de-energized our power lines to keep first responders safe as well as preventing secondary ignitions caused by our equipment,” she said. “We are actively monitoring the fire and weather conditions to determine when it is safe to restore power.”

6:30 p.m. Story

An evacuation center has been activated at the Topaz Ranch Estates Community Center, located at 3939 Carter Drive. A portable animal evacuation trailer for small animals will be available at the Topaz Ranch Estates Community Center.

Residents of Spring Valley are evacuating as a result of the fire.

Douglas County Sheriff's Search & Rescue is conducting voluntary notifications in Holbrook Junction and western Topaz Ranch Estates as a fire in Spring Valley moves in that direction.

Power was cut off to 570 NV Energy customers along the Highway 395 corridor so firefighters could battle the blaze without endangering themselves or others.

According to the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch the fire is officially at 100 acres.

Click here to view the Perimeter Map. This map is regularly updated with the fire location and road closures.

Click here for Douglas County’s Incident Page.

Evacuation Notices:

Double Springs: Residents are under an Evacuation (voluntary) (Red) notice. It is strongly advised that all residents prepare to evacuate immediately.

Topaz Ranch Estates and Holbrook Junction: These areas are under a Precautionary Evacuation Warning (yellow). Residents should be prepared to evacuate if conditions worsen.

Road Closures:

U.S. 395: Closed in both directions at Leviathan Mine Road and State Route 208.

"Local authorities are working closely with fire services to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary," according to the county. "Residents are urged to stay informed through official channels and to follow evacuation orders promptly for their safety. We are asking residents to stay vigilant, pay attention to emergency phone alerts, and have a plan in place for evacuations. In addition, plan for power outages and road closures in the area. Have a transportation plan for animals and livestock."

Think about fuel, medications, keepsakes, and groceries you might need. Think about your loved ones on oxygen or anyone who may need assistance leaving their home.

Should evacuations occur, residents will receive an emergency alert notification on your phone, and be asked to leave your home by emergency responders. If you do not have a cell phone or landline, please keep in contact with friends, neighbors and family.

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A rapidly moving wildfire is threatening to jump Highway 395 and several homes in the Spring Valley area south of Gardnerville.

Firefighters are reporting the blaze is spreading rapidly and are seeking helicopters and air tankers from Minden Dispatch.

Residents reported pine trees were on fire at around 4 p.m.

Highway 395 was closed in both directions through the area near Double Spring Flat.

Water tenders and brush trucks from all over Carson Valley rushed to the scene.

Members of East Fork’s Genoa Peak hand crew responded, along with units from Lake Tahoe.

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Firefighters are fighting a wildfire in Spring Valley south of Gardnerville.

The fire was first reported around 4 p.m.

Initial reports are of a heavy column of smoke as the fire spreads rapidly with multiple structures involved.

Calls for two helicopters and whatever air tanker is available were

All East Fork volunteers and off-duty staff were called out.