Governor declares emergency as Davis Fire south of Reno sparks evacuations

Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency Sunday after a wildfire erupted and grew Saturday afternoon south of Reno, sparking evacuations, power outages and efforts to get the blaze under control.

The Davis Fire had burned 6,500 acres and has “caused the evacuation of approximately 20,000 people,” according to the governor’s declaration and a press release posted on X by the U.S. Forest Service on Sunday night.

The blaze started in Davis Creek Regional Park on Saturday at about 2:30 p.m., the Forest Service said on X.

“The Davis Fire is estimated to be approximately 6,500 acres and zero percent contained,” said a 7 p.m. Sunday update on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest’s X account.

The fire had been estimated to have been about 1,500 acres by Saturday evening, according to an X post from Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue. By early Sunday it had grown to about 3,300 acres, officials said, then 5,000 acres, then 6,500 by the Sunday night update.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved funds control the Davis Fire and wildfires in Oregon and California, according to a news release.

All Washoe County schools will be closed Monday, according to the Washoe County School District’s post on X.

University of Nevada, Reno’s Redfield Campus also canceled in-person classes, according to its X account.

The Nevada National Guard said on X that it had been called in to assist in overall firefighting efforts.

“We’ve made significant progress, but will continue to manage the fire amid today’s wind conditions,” Lombardo said in an X post.

⚠️Evacuations have been reinstituted for ArrowCreek as the wind is rekindling the #DavisFire. Check https://t.co/NLF7Zt1otK for details. pic.twitter.com/izR89uVys6

— Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue (@TMFPD) September 8, 2024

According to the governor’s declaration, the fire was threatening hundreds of homes and had left about 6,000 residents without power. About 18,700 customers had been without power in the area Saturday evening.

The Forest Service said 14 structures were “currently known to be impacted, but damage assessment will continue when it is safe to do so.”

“Fire activity increased with afternoon winds, but fire crews were able to hold the eastern, northern, and southern boundaries,” it said Sunday night.

An evacuation was in effect Sunday for an area south of Reno, officials said.

The evacuation area, initially in effect for areas south of Mount Rose Highway (state Route 431) near Interstate 580, was expanded Sunday.

“Those in the evacuation area should not wait to leave,” the county statement said.

The Forest Service said “a portion of south Reno remains under evacuation notice, affecting around 12,000 to 14,000 people. Evacuations were in place for Arrow Creek, Sky Tavern, Mt. Rose Ski Resort and Logan Meadows.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto thanked firefighters in a post on X for their work to protect communities from the flames.

“I encourage everyone in the area to follow directions from first responders and stay safe,” she said.

Contact Annie Vong at avong@reviewjournal.com. Contact Arlette Yousif at ayousif@reviewjournal.com and follow @arletteyousif on Instagram.