Reno Reporter

Residents of the state should be on high alert that they live in an area that is prone to wildfire, according to a recent report from the University of Nevada, Reno.

This year alone roughly 25,000 wildfires in the U.S. have incinerated more than 1.3 million acres, which is the equivalent of more than 2,000 square miles, according to a university news release.

“We have to be realistic,” Christina Restaino, assistant professor and the university's Living With Fire Program director, said in the release. “We know we are going to have wildfires in Nevada this summer and that evacuations will be necessary. It’s not a matter of ‘if,’ it’s just a matter of when and where.”

According to the release, 20 homes in Laguna Niguel, a southern California coastal city, burned down this month and residents living in 900 homes had to evacuate.  

Nevada residents can help prepare for wildfires and evacuations by attending two "Wildfire Preparedness and Evacuation" sessions facilitated by the University of Nevada, Reno Extension's Living With Fire Program, and their partners, through the Nevada Wildfire Awareness Campaign.

“There will be a lot of good information at these sessions that many Nevadans can tune into online and benefit from, but we really wanted to come in and do some presentations during this year’s Wildfire Awareness Campaign at some of the high fire hazard areas in the state,”  Jamie Roice-Gomes, Living With Fire Program manager, said. “There’s information specific to these communities that residents need to know, so we’ve partnered with local fire departments, sheriff’s offices and others, to try to make sure residents are as informed as possible to keep them safe when wildfires occur.”

Residents can attend online or in person with the first event at Topaz Ranch Estates Community Center in Wellington on June 7 and at Spring Creek High School in Spring Creek on June 16, according to the release. Both events run 6-8 p.m. with doors opening at 5:30 p.m.

“I live in Spring Creek. I know firsthand how scary it is for my family and neighbors when wildfires threaten our community," Jill Baker-Tingey, Extension educator in Elko County, said. "We have only limited ways to get in and out. But, if we all get informed and prepared before a wildfire threatens our community, I think we can keep everyone safe and avoid results that otherwise may be disastrous.”