On Sunday morning at 2:45 a.m., the Winnemucca Rural Fire Department (WRFD) was dispatched to a brush fire in the area of Brayton Road and Germain Drive. Three to four homes were evacuated as a precaution but no residential structures were lost.
Winnemucca Rural Fire Department Chief Torrey Sheen said that on arrival, there was a lot of fire and the blaze was burning toward the back of homes on Germain which led to the evacuation. Three to four homes were evacuated until it was deemed safe for residents to return a couple of hours later.
Seven units responded and fought the fire and sandy conditions hampered vehicles on scene. Sheen said the only thing lost in the fire was a chicken coop structure that was deemed to be vacant. The fire took approximately four hours to extinguish and initially burned about five acres.
Sunday afternoon at 12:30, fire units were dispatched back to the scene for reports of the fire burning again. WRFD was assisted by BLM units to fight the re-kindled blaze, which took about three hours to extinguish. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office also aided in traffic control.
“What happens is that big sagebrush will burn down into the ground in the roots and the wind kicks up and fans it out, restarting the fire,” said Sheen.
In total, 7.5 acres burned and no residential structures were lost despite close proximity to many homes. The cause of the fire is unknown and an investigation may occur to determine the cause.
“It just proves with the hot temperatures and everything, just be careful,” said Sheen. “It’s an unknown cause at this point, I couldn’t pinpoint anything yet but I don’t think it’s malicious.”
