Much needed break from thunderstorms expected

After more than a dozen wildfires caused by lightning strikes throughout Northern Nevada Tuesday, residents may see some relief from the weather through the next week.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service Reno said the area may have seen some isolated thunderstorms Wednesday, however, the rest of the week will stay clear and sunny. According to NWS, dry conditions are returning to the area until the middle of next week, with temperatures rising up to 10 degrees warmer than the average for this time of year.

Which, mild weather would be good for the area. Carson City Fire Department is still in clean up mode from the 135-acre Voltaire fire that ignited Tuesday afternoon from a lightning strike in the hills behind Curry Street. The fire burned for more than five hours before crews were able to contain it, and it taxed resources from Carson, East Fork Fire Department, Truckee Meadows Fire Department, BLM and U.S. Forest Service.

“I do really appreciate our mutual aid partnerships and collaborations what we have,” said Carson Fire Chief Sean Slamon. “It is what the public expects and we take pride in it and yesterday was a perfect example of that. We just really want to thank all of them for their assistance.”

For crews on the fire, the biggest challenges came with the weather due to severe winds.

“That was more erratic winds than we have seen but certainly similar to the fire behavior that we have seen with winds and high vegitation with the wet winter,” Slamon said. “The fires have been burning hot and fast.”

“But our crews did an outstanding job,” Slamon added. “When I first pulled up with the winds I was very concerned that we were going to lose some structures, but the firefighters’ actions and decisions show they are prepared for a fire like that because we didn’t lose any structures or lives.”

Crews were still on scene Wednesday into Thursday afternoon to continue mop-up operations and make sure no hot spots emerge.

Central Lyon Fire Protection District is also battling a number of fires currently, both caused by lightning strikes Tuesday.

The Micro Fire, near the Ft. Churchill Butte, has burned 1,100 acres and the Lyons Fire near Sunrise Pass has burned 514 acres as of 5 p.m. Wednesday. Both fires started Tuesday afternoon at 3:29 and 4:21 p.m. and there hasn’t been information on the containment level of either fire.