The Conner Fire is nearing full containment, south of Gardnerville.
With 96% containment, fire personnel are now shifting focus toward patrolling and monitoring the fire perimeter.
The blaze has burned nearly 18,000 acres since sparking last Friday at a home in the Carter springs Neighborhood.
In a post to social media, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo said the Type 3 team is expected to demobilize by the end of the week while crews continue to clean up and assess the damage caused by suppression efforts.
JUNE 24, 4:35 P.M. UPDATE:
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo visited the scene of the Conner Fire burning south of Gardnerville on Tuesday.
He was there to observe the progress firefighters have made on the fire and to learn how proactive fuels treatments helped slow its spread, according to a post on Facebook from the Bureau of Land Management.
The governor toured the burned area and the Incident Command Post, where he received a detailed briefing on the fire.
The fire remains 84% contained and has burned more than 17,700 acres.
JUNE 24, 2:15 P.M. UPDATE:
The Conner Fire is now 84% contained, south of Gardnerville.
The blaze has burned almost 18,000 acres since sparking last Friday at a home in the Carter springs Neighborhood.
All evacuations from the fire have been lifted.
The Forest Service estimates full containment on July 4th.
Because of the increased containment, Topaz Lake has reopened to the public after being closed to prioritize firefighting aircraft.
Fire crews say, "to date, firefighting aircraft have delivered an estimated 214,000 gallons of water and 162,000 gallons of retardant to support operations across the incident. Yesterday (Monday) alone, more than 15,000 gallons of water were dropped through precision bucket work to cool active areas and assist firefighters on the ground."
Firefighters will continue mop-up and suppression repair on Tuesday.
Firefighters say they have established control lines around the entire perimeter, but access remains limited, with only one main road available to move crews and equipment. Despite these challenges, firefighters have successfully contained nearly 14 miles of the fireline.
JUNE 23, 8:20 A.M. UPDATE:
Firefighters continue to make steady progress on the Conner Fire south of Gardnerville, with containment now at 28 percent and the fire mapped at 17,714 acres.
Crews are working both on the ground and from the air to strengthen containment lines and extinguish remaining hot spots.
These efforts are now supported by infrared flight technology, which is helping detect lingering heat not visible to the naked eye.
An aircraft equipped with thermal imaging flew over the fire area Monday, providing incident commanders with a clearer understanding of the fire’s footprint and areas still retaining heat.
According to fire officials, this technology plays a critical role in guiding mop-up operations, identifying smoldering areas, and ensuring the fire is fully suppressed within containment lines.
Earlier on Monday, the Bureau of Land Management reported that crews had reinforced control lines along the southwestern edge of the fire and advanced 200 to 300 feet into the interior to mop up hot spots.
Firefighters used a combination of hand tools, such as Pulaskis, to build lines and remove vegetation, while chainsaws cleared hazardous brush and trees.
Water delivery systems, including hose lines and portable pumps, were used to cool hot areas deep within the burn zone.
Aerial support from scooper aircraft dropped an estimated 42,000 gallons of water along the northeastern ridgeline to assist ground crews and reduce fire intensity.
Fire personnel remain active on the fire line and are continuing to monitor for flare-ups. Some crews remain “spiked out,” camping near the eastern and northeastern flanks to allow for quicker overnight response.
The Conner Fire began June 20 as a structure fire and has since grown significantly in size.
A total of 363 personnel are assigned to the incident, supported by four helicopters, 24 engines, 10 crews, and three pieces of heavy equipment.
Douglas County officials announced that Topaz Lake has reopened following a temporary closure due to aerial firefighting operations.
The public is reminded that aircraft may still draw water from the lake and is advised to avoid interfering with ongoing suppression efforts.
All evacuation orders have been lifted.
For the latest evacuation information and continued incident updates, the public can visit NevadaFireInfo.org for fire maps, webcams, restrictions, and prevention resources, as well as Douglas County’s official website or the Perimeter wildfire incident map.
Updated fire status is also available on InciWeb and the BLM Nevada Facebook page.
JUNE 22, 10:20 P.M. UPDATE:
Firefighters have been making progress battling the Conner Fire south of Gardnerville, with the fire now 19% contained.
363 personnel continue fighting the fire, which has burned 17,713 acres.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
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JUNE 21, 5:50 P.M. UPDATE:
The Conner Fire continues to grow south of Gardnerville. It's now 17,353-acres but still 0% contained, at last check.
Later Saturday afternoon, evacuation orders were lifted for Lola Road, Edward Road, Jackson Road, Bodie Flat area, and Conner Way area.
All other evacuation orders and warnings have also been lifted.
Topaz Lake is closed to all public access to allow for uninterrupted aerial firefighting efforts in response to the fire. Douglas County says the decision follows the deployment of Canadair CL-415 “Super Scooper” aircraft, which will be using the lake as a water source to assist with wildfire efforts.
For public and pilot safety, all recreational activities on and around the lake -including boating, swimming, and shoreline access - are prohibited until further notice.
Since sparking early Friday morning from a house fire in Carter Springs, the fire moved about 10 miles in a northeast direction.
Overnight, the BLM says dozers made some progress, establishing anchor points off Pinenut Road above Robinson Road and pushing north-northeast toward Lone Pine Road. They say crews Saturday will focus on strengthening containment lines and continuing structure protection efforts.
The BLM says high winds have grounded all firefighting aircraft so firefighters are working to protect homes and infrastructure ahead of the fire’s advance.
Nearly 500 personnel are still working the fire.
9:20 P.M. UPDATE:
The Conner Fire has grown massively in size from its last update. It has now burned 13,901 acres.
The fire was mapped to its updated size using an infrared-equipped helicopter that flew around its perimeter.
The fire is showing extreme wind-driven behavior, spreading quickly and with high intensity.
489 personnel are responding to it, and firefighters will remain on the fire throughout the night.
8:50 P.M. UPDATE:
The Douglas County Community & Senior Center is closing as an evacuation site for the Conner Fire since no evacuees are currently using it.
The East Fork Fire Protection District made the announcement on its Instagram page this evening.
The agency says it is ready to reopen the evacuation center if needed.
The large animal evacuation site at the Douglas County Fairgrounds remains open.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
A 2,500-acre fire, dubbed the Conner Fire, is prompting evacuations near the Pine View Estates area, located southeast of Gardnerville.
East Fork Fire says it responded to several homes on fire around 1:30 a.m. with high winds pushing flames into nearby brush, in Carter Springs.
The areas in yellow are under precautionary evacuation warning.
That precautionary warning has recently been expanded to a portion of the Fish Springs area.
Evacuation orders have been issued for residents on the following roads and areas (which you can see also above in the map)
* Old Ranch Road north of Out-R-Way
* Pine Nut Road from Dump Road to Out R Way
* Lola Road
* Edward Road
* Jackson Road
* Bodie Flat area
* Conner Way area
Residents in these areas are urged to evacuate immediately.
Evacuees can go to the Douglas County Community & Senior Center during regular business hours at 1329 Waterloo Lane in Gardnerville.
Large animals can be evacuated to the Douglas County Fairgrounds at 920 Dump Road in Gardnerville. Please enter through the east entrance past the main entrance.
Fire officials are urging residents in the affected area to heed all evacuation warnings. Reverse emergency phone calls are going out to residents.
The Silver Legacy, Eldorado and Circus Circus in Reno are offering emergency room rates for evacuees of $59 per night with waived resort fees. To book a room, call 1-800-223-7277.
East Fork Fire Protection District, Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue, BLM, Reno Fire Department, Carson City Fire Department, Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District and Forest Service are assisting.
An aircraft is currently assisting with fire mapping efforts, and additional air resources have been requested to support suppression operations.
Drivers traveling along U.S. 395 are asked to watch out for emergency vehicles.
Officials are also asking the public to avoid the area to ensure the safety of both first responders and the public.
The cause of the initial fire remains under investigation.
Gusty winds, with speeds reaching up to 45 miles per hour, combined with low relative humidity, are creating extremely challenging firefighting conditions, according to a release from the Bureau of Land Management.
Due to these extreme wind conditions, all aircraft have been grounded this afternoon, limiting aerial suppression capabilities.
