Davis fire updates: 3 WCSD schools in south Reno to remain closed Friday
For the latest Davis Fire updates for Friday, Sept. 13, click here.
The Davis Fire south of Reno continued to burn into its sixth day Thursday. The fire, which was first reported Saturday afternoon, has consumed an estimated 5,824 acres and was at 37% containment, according to information released by authorities on Wednesday evening. Much of the containment line was on the fire's southeast side near Little Washoe Lake.
Thursday's weather forecast for the area calls for calm winds and cooler temperatures, with a high of 74, a significant improvement over Wednesday's gusty conditions.
3 south Reno schools to remain closed on Friday
Three schools will remain closed on Friday due to the Davis Fire: Galena High School, Marce Herz Middle School, and Hunsberger Elementary School.
Ten schools in south Reno were closed on Thursday and the district closed all schools on Wednesday when the fire was predicted to grow worse. However, firefighters made progress in keeping the fire contained and the worst-case scenario of 3 to 7 miles of growth did not materialize.
The Washoe County School District says is is continuing to work with public safety officials who are monitoring the movement of the Davis Fire.
More:Davis Fire: Firefighters 'saved the day up there,' fire behavior analyst says
TMWA: South Reno residents may resume outdoor watering
As conditions related to the Davis Fire have improved, Truckee Meadows Water Authority has lifted its request to refrain from outdoor watering in southwest Reno.
Residents are encouraged to resume normal watering schedules, TMWA said in a news release.
The temporary restrictions were put in place Wednesday to ensure water availability for firefighting efforts in the event of power disruptions.
Evacuation warning lifted for area north of Arrowcreek
Authorities have lifted the evacuation warning for Reno neighborhoods north of ArrowCreek Country Club.
The announcement came shortly after noon on Thursday. The evacuation orders had been in place since Wednesday morning for the area between the golf course and McCarran Boulevard, roughly west of Kietzke Lane and Thomas Creek Lane.
The evacuation warning continues for the area between Arrowcreek Parkway and I-580 west of South Virginia Street, and for northern Washoe Valley east of I-580. Areas west of I-580 and along Mt. Rose Highway remain under evacuation mandates.
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Containment lines hold Davis Fire through Thursday morning
The Davis Fire is locked down this morning as majority of the containment lines were maintained through the evening and overnight, according to an update from John Cervantes, Southwest Operations Section Chief.
The fire has burned 5,796 acres and is still 37% contained. Firefighters said the fire's edges have not shifted much, despite the fear of high winds coming in from the southwest on Wednesday evening. Aircraft is back in the sky this morning to help fight the fire, due to the calmer winds.
"We had no perimeter growth whatsoever in the past 24 hours," Cervantes said.
Some evacuees in the southern community have made it back to their homes, but the fire still hits strong in the southern portion. They are hoping to get more containment in the Davis Creek area where the fire originated. The forest service also expects "low to moderate fire behavior" throughout the day.
However, authorities warn people to adhere to the evacuation zones, and get ready to go if you are in an evacuation warning zone.
"Don't wait until it's right down the street," Sheriff Darin Balaam said in the press conference Wednesday evening.
A southern Nevada strike team also joined the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection team and will start this morning to help the fight. The team includes 34 additional personnel.
Much lighter winds forecast for Davis Fire area on Thursday
After multiple red flag warning days, the National Weather Service is forecasting calmer winds for the Davis Fire area on Thursday.
The NWS is projecting lighter 5 mph winds from Thursday through Saturday evening, a big improvement to yesterday’s weather situation that saw winds gusting past 60 mph at some locations.
Add higher humidity to the weather mix and “today should have more good news than bad,” said NWS meteorologist Mark Deutschendorf when reached Thursday morning.
The NWS is also forecasting a chance of rain starting on Sunday with “a pretty decent chance of rain on Monday,” Deutschendorf said.
WCSD closes 10 schools on Thursday
The Washoe County School District announced Wednesday night it will keep 10 schools in south Reno and Incline Village closed Thursday due to the Davis Fire.
The district said it will continue to work with public safety officials to determine what is safe for students and staff.
Schools closed on Thursday, Sept. 12 include
- Galena High School
- Marce Herz Middle School
- Picollo School
- Huffaker Elementary
- Hunsberger Elementary
- Lenz Elementary
- Pleasant Valley Elementary
- Incline High School
- Incline Middle School
- Incline Elementary School
All other schools will be in session.
Just under 2,400 customers still without power from Davis Fire
NV Energy confirmed that just under 2,400 customers still don’t have electricity as of Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
The outages were located in five neighborhoods west of Thomas Creek Road on Mount Rose Highway — areas that are also designated as evacuation zones.
“The reason why the power is out in those areas is because we are committed to the safety of the first responders that are working in that area,” Jesse Murray, vice president of electric delivery and natural disaster protection, for NV Energy.
“(We) also wanted to make sure that we are not contributing to any potential additional secondary fires that could cause this situation to be even worse.”
NV Energy confirmed that it has repaired 19 power lines that were damaged yesterday. The power company, however, expects to have damaged equipment in two areas where the fire is most active and is currently inaccessible to its crews.
Davis Fire news conference: Fire lines holding; worst-case prediction not coming true
While fire officials said the threat from the Davis Fire is not over, so far the dire predictions from Tuesday have not come true.
“We have some time to get through before we can sit down and rest,” Stewart Turner, a fire behavior analyst, said.
Turner was one of multiple officials speaking during a press conference with Gov. Joe Lombardo on Wednesday at South Valleys Library.
On Tuesday, Turner said that fire modeling showed the fire could advance 3 to 7 miles amid wind gusts that could hit 70 mph. The biggest threat of winds spreading the fire was expected to peak at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Fire officials said fire lines held on Wednesday, with containment at 37%. On Tuesday, the fire was 31% contained.
Southwest Operations Section Chief Jason Clawson said he hoped to further increase containment by the end of the day.
“Feeling very good about being prepared,” Clawson said.
Starting Thursday morning, firefighters will be able to use flight support to contain the fire as the winds die down, Clawson said.
“This evening, we still anticipate the winds dying off through the night,” Turner said. “It’s going to be very different fire behavior over the next 24 hours.”
“We still are in some danger until this evening.”
Turner said it will be a “big win” if the distance of fire damage doesn’t materialize.
Turner credited the efforts of firefighters for the improved outlook.
Davis Fire size as of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday
- Location: 1 mile south of Reno; Washoe Valley
- Size: 5,646 acres
- Containment: 37%
- Cause: Undetermined
- Total Personnel: 620 personnel
- Start Date: Sept. 7
Davis Fire perimeter map
Note: The fire perimeter may not always be shown if boundaries are uncertain.
Latest Davis Fire evacuation map
