OAN Staff Lillian Mann
3:00 PM – Tuesday, August 11, 2026
The Bug Fire and Fred Mountain Fire along the California–Nevada border north of Reno have merged into a single explosive wildfire complex that has burned 44,304 acres.
Fueled by bone-dry vegetation, high temperatures and erratic gusty winds, the blaze continues to show rapid spread with active flanking and short-range spotting.
Bureau of Land Management and regional fire officials report that while containment stands at 4%, active flame spread within California has effectively ceased, leaving the primary fire perimeter concentrated across 42,763 acres in Washoe County, Nevada.
The rapid growth of the fire complex prompted Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo to declare a state of emergency for Washoe County and the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony.
Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation orders remain active across several threatened areas, with new orders recently issued near Winnemucca Ranch Road. While progress on containment lines along the fire’s edges allowed approximately 3,000 residents to safely return home, more than 6,000 people have been displaced overall.
Emergency officials confirmed that several homes have been destroyed and two people, including a firefighter treated for heat-related illness, were injured and released after treatment.
Emergency support networks continue to operate across Northern Nevada to assist impacted residents and livestock. The Evelyn Mount Community Center serves as the official human evacuation shelter, while large animals and livestock are being housed at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center.
To protect public safety and navigate widespread power outages and active evacuation corridors, the Washoe County School District closed nine regional schools as crews work around the clock to construct containment lines.
“Hot, dry and unstable conditions are expected to continue, with poor overnight humidity recovery. W/SW winds and low daytime relative humidity will support critical fire weather conditions each afternoon. W winds of 12–17 mph with gusts up to 30 mph are expected,” BLM Nevada’s Facebook post continued.
Located southeast of the merged Bug and Fred Mountain fire complex, the Stallion Fire continues to burn with 0% containment in Washoe County’s Palomino Valley.
Driven by extreme heat, critically low humidity, and strong wind gusts, the rapidly expanding blaze exploded to more than 20,000 acres, threatening rural and equestrian communities near Pyramid Lake.
Evacuation orders and warnings remain active along State Route 446 and State Route 447 toward Wadsworth, with a dedicated human evacuation shelter operating at the Spanish Springs Library and a large animal evacuation point established at the UNR Equestrian Center in Reno.
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