Eight Washoe County schools close as wildfires force evacuations and state of emergency

Eight schools in the Washoe County School District remained closed on Tuesday, Aug. 11, as officials cited ongoing threats from three wildfires burning north of Reno. The district said it would not provide bus service in areas designated red or yellow, which indicate evacuation zones or areas under watch.

The Bug Fire, which started Saturday afternoon near the California Agricultural Inspection Station, has burned about 17,000 acres and is only 4% contained. The Fred Mountain Fire, ignited Sunday morning on Fred's Mountain, is at roughly 3,500 acres with no containment reported. The Stallion Fire, which began Monday morning southwest of Pyramid Lake, has grown to 1,000 acres and also lacks containment.

Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency for Washoe County and the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, allowing faster deployment of state resources and requesting federal assistance, including National Guard personnel and equipment.

"Thousands of Nevadans have been forced from their homes as these fires continue to threaten communities across Washoe County and the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony," Lombardo said.

Evacuation warnings were issued for parts of Nixon east of the Stallion Fire, and mandatory evacuation zones expanded northward for the Bug and Fred Mountain fires. About 10,000 people have been evacuated overall, though 4,000 have been allowed to return to the Cold Springs area.

One firefighter and one civilian were injured but released. Power outages affected thousands of customers, with most service restored by early Monday. The Reno-Stead Airport remains closed to general aviation but open for firefighting aircraft.

Local officials continue to monitor weather conditions, warning that thunderstorms later in the week could increase fire danger through wind, lightning and dry heat.