RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Fire danger in northern Nevada remains high even as temperatures begin to cool, according to Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District.
Red flag warnings have already been issued for Friday, and fire officials say the threat extends beyond the traditional fire season of May through October.
According to the National Weather Service, 2026 has brought drier and warmer conditions to northern Nevada, leaving the region more susceptible to fires.
While fire danger peaks in the summer, Brett Taylor, WUI Community Coordinator with Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, said the threat does not slow down in the fall or when the climate cools. Some of the most devastating fires in the area have happened later in the year, including the Davis, Callahan, Little Valley Caughlin and Pinehaven fires.
Taylor said that without heavy rain or snow, the risk for destructive fires remains high.
“It might not even be a red flag event, but any time we have winds that exceed about 20 miles an hour, and we haven’t received season-ending moisture, you can expect there to be a high potential of destructive fires,” Taylor said.
Taylor said cooling weather doesn’t lessen the fire risk if the climate continues to be dry and has high winds.
“So, cooling weather, what it really does is it increases humidity overnight marginally. All the fuels we have are the kind that are the fastest burning, really the ones that get the hottest quickest; those fuels are still primed to burn,” Taylor said.
Meteorologist Gigi Giralte with the National Weather Service says the region has experienced lasting dry spells during the winter before, and until the area gets season-ending moisture, the risk for destructive fires will continue.
“It really depends on how much snow and how much rain we are getting in that off season between November and April. If we are getting some active atmospheric rivers, that’s going to produce a lot more rain and a lot more snow that will help those fuels be more green and not as dry,” Giralte said.
Taylor follows that with what he’s seen in the past as a firefighter.
“You know, over the decades, we’ve seen winters become more variable with how much moisture we receive, and how cold those winters might get. We can either have these really long dry spells during the winter, and our most destructive fires actually happen in the fall and wintertime,” Taylor said.
Taylor explained that human-caused fires are usually more destructive and faster growing because they occur on red flag days.
With red flag warnings issued, fire officials are urging people to be mindful and vigilant of activities including dragging trailer chains, welding, target shooting, leaving campfires unattended, lighting fireworks, and smoking.
“Really, the best thing people can do is not cause the fire to begin with, and so we don’t have that potential loss that comes from a fire moving beyond our control,” Taylor said.
Giralte said all human-caused fires are preventable and it takes everyone working together to avoid them.
Taylor urged Nevadans to stay vigilant every day, not just during red flag warnings. He recommends clearing defensible space around your home to offer added protection.
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