Nevada will receive federal assistance to cover the cost of fighting the Gold Ranch Fire following approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Monday. According to the Nevada Wildfire Information Dashboard, the fire has burned an estimated 656 acres since being discovered Sunday, Aug. 11.
According to FEMA, the state’s request for assistance was submitted Sunday, when the fire threatened 150 homes around Verdi. About 400 homes are now threatened, and the evacuation perimeter was expanded at 1 p.m. Monday to include evacuation warnings for Verdi Lake Estates and areas east of Bridge Street from Interstate 80 north to the Truckee River.
An evacuation center has been set up at the Northwest Reno Library at 2325 Robb Drive. Multiple agencies are working on the fire, but it’s unclear which ones or what type of equipment is in place.
Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District on Monday said it was not releasing information directly to the media but is instead opting to post updates on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Facebook. Information provided by the agency on social networks has been sparse.
“That’s the way we’ve been doing it for five years, and it works well for us,” TMFPD spokesperson Adam Mayberry said when asked why information is not being released directly to the news media.
On social media, TMFPD said it had 200 people from various agencies battling the blaze. They also noted the goal is to hold the fire south of Interstate 80, north of Garson Road. Reno Fire Department also used social media to share images of the fire. RFD officials said they had four brush engines and two structure engines on site.
Following an investigation, the Nevada Highway Patrol arrested a driver of a vehicle that was on fire at I-80 and Gold Ranch. The driver was arrested on suspicion of impaired driving, and he was booked into the Washoe County jail. The vehicle is reported to be a 2020 Alfa Romeo. The investigation remains open.
All travel lanes on the I-80 eastbound at Gold Ranch are open.
Don Zirbel, a retired firefighter and reporter on the non-profit wildfire tracking Watch Duty app, said two single-engine air tankers (SEATs) were working the fire and two large air tankers (LATs) were en route.
Winds and low humidity have hampered firefighting efforts.
A user on Reddit posted a video of a vehicle engulfed in flames one mile west of the Gold Ranch exit on I-80.
Federal fire management assistance grants can cover up to 75% of eligible firefighting costs, including field camps, equipment use, materials and mobilization costs.
The Northwest Reno Library is open for evacuees.
A view of the fire is available from the ALERT Nevada network here.
