RENO, Nev. — More than 13,000 residents evacuated communities north of Reno as three wildfires threatened thousands of homes, prompting the Nevada National Guard to deploy helicopters, security forces and other resources to support firefighting and public safety operations.
The Nevada National Guard’s response to the Bug, Stallion and Fred Mountain fires raised alarms similar to those during the Davis Fire of 2024.
For both Reno-area fire responses, state emergencies were declared and a federal incident command team deployed to the region. In both cases, federal, state and local emergency management efforts successfully contained the fires within projected boundaries, saving lives and property.
Tens of thousands more residents were prepared to evacuate valleys just north of Reno during the fires. Eleven structures were lost, but initial fire predictions forecast far worse outcomes following the fires’ ignition Aug. 9.
“There’s no doubt this fire would have been much worse had it not been for the quick and rapid response from first responders around the region,” said Col. Kyle Cerfoglio, Nevada Joint Staff director, whose house was in Washoe County’s “get ready to evacuate” area. “This fire came dangerously close to many homes.”
Even with the Bug Fire at 94% containment after burning 93,733 acres and the Stallion Fire at 95% containment after burning 40,691 acres, wildfires and the threat of fires continue across the country.
One Nevada Air National Guard C-130 aircraft and supporting Airmen deployed to Klamath Falls Airtanker Base in Oregon, where they will integrate with personnel from the 302nd Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, using the U.S. Forest Service’s Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS.
“The Nevada Air National Guard still has a contingent of aircrews deployed to U.S. Central Command and at various locations around the world but remains ready and willing for the call with able aircrew at a moment notice here in defense of the nation,” Cerfoglio said. “This is just another example of how the fires near Reno may have subsided, but they continue to pose threats around the western United States.”
Initial Call in Eastern Nevada
Nevada Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk aircrews were initially activated July 26 for the Secret Pass Fire east of Elko but were almost immediately diverted 150 miles south to Ely, where the Ward Fire threatened the White Pine County seat near Great Basin National Park. For a week, two aircraft and their crews dropped 174 water buckets containing 150,000 gallons of water on the Ward Fire.
“There were a lot of hot spots, and they had all helicopters up and running to put those out,” Chief Warrant Officer 4 Scott Taylor, a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot, said Aug. 4. “Helicopter crews made a massive impact on this fire.”
As containment of the Ward Fire grew to more than 30%, Army aviators returned home to find a fire burning in their backyard. The Bug Fire burned across desert terrain visible from the Nevada Army Aviation Support Facility in Stead, threatening thousands of homes in the metropolitan area.
North Valleys Fires
On Aug. 10, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency, increasing resources available to fight the fire, including five Nevada Army National Guard helicopters.
In total, Army aviation crews dropped 277 water buckets, totaling an estimated 328,591 gallons of water, in about a week. Mother Nature also assisted firefighting efforts with afternoon rain Aug. 12, which brought cooler temperatures.
“It is fairly dangerous flying,” Chief Warrant Officer 3 Scott Hermansen, a Chinook pilot, said. “We have a pretty heavy bucket below us…it is flying the helicopter for us. And there is a lot of metal in the sky, lots of tankers lots of helicopters, so you always have to keep your head on a swivel.”
With the large number of evacuations, the Nevada National Guard Response Force (NGRF) was called in to safeguard neighborhoods from looters. About 50 Soldiers manned entrances to neighborhoods at seven locations around the fires. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office also increased patrols to protect evacuated neighborhoods.
“We’ve received such an outpouring of support,” said Spc. Gavin Davidson of the 137th Military Police Detachment, Nevada Army National Guard, who worked at a neighborhood checkpoint on Matterhorn Boulevard in Lemmon Valley. “People were dropping off food and drinks, even ice cream bars. By the time chow arrived, we weren’t even hungry.”
The Flames were 50 feet high
Mack McKinley and Robyn Roth, who own the Sugarland Ranch animal rescue, were among those who recently thanked Davidson and the troops. On Aug. 9, sagebrush and other vegetation burned across their 52-acre ranch, which is home to about 30 Neapolitan mastiffs, a breed they rescue.
“The flames were 50-feet high,” McKinley said. “Thank goodness we got all the dogs out.”
McKinley said he was able to move the dogs to several volunteer locations in Reno and Sparks. The flames did not reach his home, but much of the property burned.
“We’re just thankful of how skilled everyone working these fires has been,” McKinley said. “I can’t thank these Soldiers enough for keeping our property protected.”