WASHOE COUNTY NEWS RELEASE
Recovery efforts are continuing today after the devastation left behind from the 3,177-acre Washoe Fire that destroyed 29 structures since Thursday afternoon.
The fire was 100 percent contained as of 6 a.m. this morning, all evacuations have been lifted and US 395 is open to commuter traffic.
Law enforcement officials are asking citizens who don’t live in the burn area to please stay away as to not interfere with the crucial clean-up work being done by firefighters and law enforcement agencies. All other motorists are being asked to use extreme caution if driving in the area and only travel that road if absolutely necessary.
Officials say more than 2 inches of rain fell in the Washoe Valley area overnight during the strong Pacific storm that brought high winds and rain throughout the area. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Department had officers available to assist residents with any potential problems but didn’t receive any requests for help. The Public Works Department also had crews on hand throughout the evening but did not receive any calls for assistance.
More than 2,200 calls were taken at call centers throughout the duration of the Washoe Fire, including questions about evacuation areas and assistance for help during and after the fire.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to inform residents whose homes were impacted by the Washoe Fire to contact the Crisis Call Center at 1-800-992-5757. The Crisis Call Center will provide information on what steps to take to recover from a wild land fire.
Citizens can also download this information at www.washoecounty.us by clicking on the Emergency Announcement link. This brochure includes information that may be helpful to you in this time of crisis.
The emergency boil water notice that was in effect for Sunrise Estates has been lifted. Additionally, the Washoe County Water Resources Department is requesting residents of Sunrise Estates and Old Washoe Estates public water systems to observe the Temporary Conservation Order, limiting water use to indoor use only through Monday. Continued conservation will allow the water system storage tanks to fully recover over the weekend.
Damage assessments have been completed, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), along with a damage assessment team and the Small Business Administration, will be accessing the damage area on Tuesday. A joint field office will be opened at that time for residents and businesses who suffered damages from the Washoe Fire to follow up with questions and concerns.
The Sierra Front Incident Management Team was to transition management of the Washoe Fire over to Reno Fire Department at 3 p.m. today.
