RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Tuesday’s meeting brought a mix of good and bad news.

The good news is that the Davis Fire is now 31% contained and the Old Washoe community is returning. However, the National Weather Service says we are in extreme fire danger. The area has been under a Red Flag Warning since the fire broke out on Saturday. Charles Moore, the fire chief for the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, said the weather status will be upgraded to a weather event known as a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS). This is only the 6th PDS issued in Reno history. The last time this happened was in 2019, so this is an extremely rare occurrence.

Gale force winds and dry conditions are creating the potential for rapid growth beginning Wednesday. Winds are expected to reach 40-70 MPH. Moore says that when the winds are this high, not only are they considered structurally damaging winds, but they also prevent aircraft from flying. So water and fire retardant can’t be thrown on the fire, so unfortunately it’s expected to spread. Because of these dangerous winds, everyone is asked to heed orders and if you are in an evacuation zone, you are asked to take it seriously. Despite the setback, Nevada Adjutant General Ondra Berry offered some words of encouragement.

“You have professionals who are making sure that they can do everything they can on the front lines. They’ve seen a lot, they’ve done a lot, and I’d put our Nevada National Guard up there with anyone when it comes to showing up and supporting them to the end,” Berry said.

The main takeaway from the meeting is that more evacuations are expected. If you live in Arrow Creek, you should be extra vigilant on Wednesday, September 11. Moore adds that if the winds eventually become as strong as expected, the fire could potentially move toward Huffaker.

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