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2025 Nevada wildfires

2025 Nevada wildfires
Burn scar from the Winnemucca Mountain Fire
← 2024

There is an ongoing series of wildfires burning in the U.S. state of Nevada.

Background

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Nevada Drought Monitor on August 19, 2025
Keeping small fires small: air-dropped stripes of red fire retardant helped keep the Trout Canyon fire (July 6 and 7 between Pahrump and Las Vegas) to just 30 acres.[1]

The typical "fire season" in Nevada lasts from May to October, the time when vegetation is the driest.[2] However, the timing varies every year based on a number of other factors, including if there is hot, dry weather, the amount of dry vegetation, and when there are more natural causes possible, such as lightning. The peak time of the season is also determined by these factors.[3]

Summary

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In mid-June, the Nevada State Forester and Fire Warden had a "cautious" prediction for wildfire season. There were abnormally dry conditions for the month, mostly from less snowpack in lower elevations and a warm spring melting snowpack at higher elevations, and drought conditions set in early. Over half the state was already under drought, compared to just 1% last year. By June 4, there had already been about 150 wildfire reports that burned 600 acres (240 ha), already half of the average calls a year. A large crop of cheatgrass from 2024, an invasive and highly flammable weed, was never tamped down and a second crop is growing. This will cause a heightened risk for Western and Southern Nevada. Forecasts predict fire activity will slow in mid-July during monsoon season.[4]

On the evening of July 3, dry lightning cells that moved across Northern Nevada ignited several wildfires in the Winnemucca area, including the Bloody and Barber Fires, along with several smaller ones. All the fires grew rapidly amid favorable conditions. They prompted evacuations and threatened infrastructure in Pershing and Humboldt counties.[5]

In early August, lightning moved through Elko County, igniting several large wildfires. The fires (including the Snowstorm, Jakes, MP 22, and Adobe Mountain fires) have been fueled by dry conditions and rugged terrain. Every BLM district in Nevada and in Twin Falls and Boise, Idaho were sent to respond. Due to limited access to the wildfires, crews are utilizing air support and bulldozers when conditions permit.[6][7] The Snowstorm and Jakes Fires merged into the collective Jakes Fire on August 4.[6]

List of wildfires

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The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), or produced significant structural damage or casualties.

Name County Acres Start date Containment date[a] Notes Ref
Burnt Canyon Lincoln 1,068 June 11 June 19 Lightning-caused. Burned about 65 miles (105 km) southeast of Ely. [9]
Winnemucca Mountain Humboldt 2,321 June 15 June 18 Cause under investigation. Burned just northwest of Winnemucca. [10]
Conner Douglas 17,714 June 23 June 30 Undetermined cause. Burned in the Pinenut Range about 8 miles (13 km) southeast of Gardnerville in the Monarch and Numbers Fire burn areas. Two residential structures and one outbuilding destroyed. [11][12]
Mount Irish Lincoln 6,315 June 30 July 17 Human-caused. Burned about 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Alamo. [13]
Bloody Humboldt 1,856 July 3 July 4 Lightning-caused. Burned just north of Winnemucca and threatening community infrastructure. [14][5][15]
Barber Pershing 17,583 July 3 July 11 Lightning-caused. Burning south of Winnemucca and led to evacuations near Pershing/Humboldt county border and Imlay. [16][5]
Sheep Creek Canyon Eureka 4,174 July 4 July 7 Undetermined cause. Burned 33 miles (53 km) east of Battle Mountain. [17]
Bartlett Humboldt 6,169 July 4 July 10 Lightning-caused. Burned near Denio. [18][19][20]
Hot Canyon Elko 12,794 July 8 July 22 Lightning-caused. Burned 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Montello. [21]
Gothic Nye 35,161 July 6 August 21 Lightning-caused. Burned 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Rachel. [22][23][24]
Cornucopia Elko 3,514 July 15 July 18 Lightning-caused. Burned 16 miles (26 km) north of Tuscarora. [25][26]
Gold Washoe 1,268 July 20 July 26 Human-caused. Burned in Sparks outside of Golden Eagle Regional Park. Driven by wind and terrain. [27][28][29][30]
Cat Canyon Nye 16,260 July 20 August 21 Lightning-caused. Burned 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Beatty in Nevada Test and Training Range. [31][32][33]
Moonshine Humboldt 2,863 July 29 August 2 Lightning-caused. Burned on BLM lands. [34][35]
Snowstorm Elko 22,256 August 1 August 4 Lightning-caused. Burned 11 miles (18 km) north of Midas and merged into the Jakes Fire. [36][6]
Jakes Elko 82,217 August 1 August 16 Lightning-caused. Burned 2 miles (3.2 km) southwest of Midas and comprises the Snowstorm Fire. [37][6][38][39]
MP 22 Elko 4,230 August 1 August 5 Lightning-caused. Burned 6 miles (9.7 km) southwest of Midas. [40][6]
Adobe Mountain Elko 10,668 August 2 August 11 Lightning-caused. Burned 38 miles (61 km) north of Elko. [41][6]
Rancho Washoe 1,483 August 14 August 20 Human-caused. Burning north of Cold Springs and prompted evacuations. [42]
Cottonwood Peak Elko 131,918 August 15
20%
 Lightning-caused. Burning 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Tuscarora and officials asked residents in Independence Valley to prepare to evacuate. [43][44]
Map
Perimeters of 2025 Nevada wildfires (map data)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out.[8]

References

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  1. ^ Haas, Greg (7 July 2025). "Trout Canyon Fire west of Las Vegas at 30 acres; residents allowed to return to homes". 8newsnow.com. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  2. ^ "Wildland Fires". clarkcounty.gov. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  3. ^ "Drought and Fire in Nevada: Is fire risk higher during drought?". extension.unr.edu. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  4. ^ "Officials Brace for Fire Season as Nevada Is 'Abnormally Dry'". U.S. News & World Report. The Nevada Independent and Associated Press. June 13, 2025. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c "Evacuation orders lifted for Barber Fire". KOLO-TV. July 4, 2025. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Five lightning-sparked wildfires still burning in Elko County". KTVN. August 3, 2025. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  7. ^ O'Boyle, Brenna (August 3, 2025). "Lightning sparked 10 news wildfires in Elko County". KOLO-TV. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  8. ^ "What containment and other wildfire related terms mean". Los Angeles: KCAL-TV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved 2025-07-25.
  9. ^ "Burnt Canyon Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  10. ^ "Winnemucca Mountain Fire Information". InciWeb. Archived from the original on July 4, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  11. ^ "Conner Fire Information". InciWeb. Archived from the original on July 4, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  12. ^ Hildebrand, Kurt (June 24, 2025). "Third structure reported lost in Conner Fire". Record-Courier. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  13. ^ "Mount Irish Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved July 2, 2025.
  14. ^ Independent-Mail, Anderson. "Bloody - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.independentmail.com. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  15. ^ O'Boyle, Brenna (July 5, 2025). "Updates on Barber, Bartlett, Bloody fires". KOLO-TV. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  16. ^ "Barber Canyon Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  17. ^ Record-Courier. "Sheep Creek Canyon - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.record-courier.com. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  18. ^ Herald-Record, Times. "Bartlett - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.recordonline.com. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  19. ^ "Bartlett Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
  20. ^ "Winnemucca-area Bartlett & Barber Canyon Fires reach full containment". KTVN. July 11, 2025. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  21. ^ "Hot Canyon Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  22. ^ "GOTHIC - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.tennessean.com. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  23. ^ "Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts". Watch Duty. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
  24. ^ "Gothic Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  25. ^ "Cornucopia - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.dispatch.com. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  26. ^ "Cornucopia Fire Information". InciWeb. Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
  27. ^ O'Boyle, Brenna (June 20, 2025). "Gold Fire explodes to 1,200 acres east of Golden Eagle Park". KOLO-TV. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  28. ^ "Gold - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.tennessean.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  29. ^ "Gold Fire near Golden Eagle Regional Park now 98% contained". KTVN. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  30. ^ "Gold Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  31. ^ Roberts, Alyssa. "New Cat Canyon Fire breaks out northeast of Beatty, burns 8,000 acres". KTNV-TV. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  32. ^ "Cat Canyon Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  33. ^ "CAT CANYON - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.statesmanjournal.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  34. ^ "Moonshine - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.tauntongazette.com. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  35. ^ "Moonshine Fire Information". InciWeb. Archived from the original on August 3, 2025. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  36. ^ "Snowstorm - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.tennessean.com. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  37. ^ "Jakes - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.tennessean.com. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  38. ^ "Jakes Fire Map". Watch Duty. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  39. ^ "Jakes Fire Information". InciWeb. Archived from the original on August 19, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  40. ^ "MP 22 - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.tennessean.com. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  41. ^ "Adobe Mountain - Wildfire New Smoke Map". data.tennessean.com. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  42. ^ Dunn, Kenneth (August 15, 2025). "Evacuation order lifted for 1,400 acre Rancho Fire off of Red Rock Road". KRNV-DT. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  43. ^ "Cottonwood Peak - Wildfire and Smoke Map". data.usatoday.com. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  44. ^ O'Boyle, Brenna (August 16, 2025). "Cottonwood Peak Fire shows extreme growth potential". KOLO-TV. Retrieved August 16, 2025.