Paul NelsonChannel 2 News
Fire departments all over the state are gearing up for what could be a dangerous weekend, if people aren't careful.
"People are going to be in designated areas," Division Chief for the Reno Fire Department, Sandy Munns said. "They may be allowed to use campfires. A lot of people are going to be using barbecues. Be careful how you dispose of ashes. Make sure that the fire is dead, out, and cold before you leave the area, if you have a campfire."
Yesterday, fire crews had to work quickly to put out a fire, near Cold Springs, which charred more than 50 acres. A red flag warning was in effect and continues, today. Firefighters are expecting these conditions to continue, this weekend.
"With these winds that we're expecting, next weekend, it could go big and could cost the community a lot of money and a loss of our beautiful community, in many respects," Munns said.
Fire officials say they are still investigating the cause of yesterday's fire, but there is evidence of shot gun shells in that area. Something that has been responsible for a number of fires, the past few years.
"The bullets ricochet off a rock and the big problem we've seen, lately, the exploding target," Munns said.
Another reason for concern is the amount of fuel. Firefighters say last year's wet winter, followed by a dry one could be a perfect recipe for a large-scale fire.
"Last year, we got a lot of cheatgrass growth," Munns said. "Because there wasn't a lot of snow, this winter, it didn't pack it down. The cheatgrass is still available to burn and it's like gasoline, all over the ground. Cheatgrass burns like crazy."
Firefighters also say smokers should be careful with cigarettes, and always be aware of your vehicle, if you're off-roading.
"We just need to encourage them to be fire aware and to do things that are overall safe and to minimize the potential for fire starts," Munns said.
Firefighters predict that 600,000 acres will burn, this year, because of our area is coming off a La Nina. Historically, they say they have seen over 1 million acres burn in similar years.
