Despite a wet, cold May and June starting out the same way, fire danger conditions are coming to the Reno / Tahoe region. When the winds blow as they have been and the precipitation finally stops, the humidity will plummet and the resulting dry air will literally suck the water out of the ground. Together with lots of new vegetation, we'll have a whole region of wildfires just waiting to happen. Actually, they've already started. A fire on Tuesday in Dayton, east of Carson City, destroyed a home and two garages before firefighters got it under control. High winds made the job a tough one.
Wildfire in west Reno.
Photo © Stan White
Down in Arizona, large wildfires are already burning. I hope not, but what's going on there could be a preview of coming attraction for Nevada once the weather changes.
Many fires are started by lightning strikes from thunderstorms, which we can't do anything about. We can, however, avoid doing stupid stuff like grinding metal in a bunch of dry vegetation, building illegal campfires, shooting off fireworks, and letting kids sneak off with firemaking materials. The latter was responsible for setting one of Reno's first fires of 2010.
The best defense is an active offense. My Reno / Tahoe Wildfire Safety article has good information about preventing fires, protecting your property, and what to do if a wildfire is threatening your area. Remember, wildfires can and do occur right in town - don't get complacent just because you happen to live within the city limits. #about
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