Single Publication

Elko, Nev. July. 16, 2022 – Wildcat Fire Status Update – The fire has now burned 21,440 acres and is still 10% contained. It made a hard push through the brush and grass during the afternoon and late evening hours yesterday. Fortunately, several new Crews, Engines, Equipment and Aircraft arrived throughout the burning periods and our Firefighters were able to engage effectively in the early morning hours of today. The crews working are from multiple agencies and have been doing a magnificent job trying to get the blaze under control.

Fire behavior characteristics observed were active, wind-driven runs, flanking and spotting. The wind-driven flames drove the fire to the Northeast most of the night while backing was observed on the south and west sides of the fire. The primary fuel driving the fire was large stands of sagebrush that locals stated hadn’t burned in several years.

There has been no damage to structures. The historied Forest Service - Wildcat Guard Station and a yurt nearby are still holding their ground. Ranches nearby have structure protection in place with Engines on standby and crews are building fire line around them to support that effort. Sage Grouse and Cutthroat habitat are also a top priority for protection.

No injuries have been reported at this time and firefighters are hydrating heavily due to temps that have reached over 100 degrees in rugged terrain throughout the fire. Hot and dry conditions mixed with an ongoing potential for thunderstorms continuing through the weekend will be a concern that Nevada Incident Command Team 3 will be watching closely.

There are currently 347 personnel on the incident staffing - 11 Crews (5-Type 1), 11 Engines, 5 Dozers, 2 Water Tenders, 5 Helicopters a few local VFD personnel assisting.

For additional information on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, please visit https://fs.usda.gov/htnf or participate in the conversation at https://twitter.com/HumboldtToiyabe and https://facebook.com/HumboldtToiyabeNF/.