On Sept. 7, 2024, the Davis Fire erupted at Reno, Nev.’s Davis Campground. For 18 days, the fire was fueled by dry conditions and erratic winds. More than 5,800 acres burned and 14 structures were destroyed, including homes and a church. At times, the fire threatened to jump roadways and at one point there was fear it could stretch into the Tahoe Basin, quickly getting out of control. Brave men and women from departments across the country helped tame the blaze. No lives were lost during the fight.
Firefighters who worked on the Davis Fire have called it one of the most devastating, complex, and destructive fires in the last decade. The Davis Fire continually threatened homes and caused widespread evacuations throughout Reno and Washoe City, including first at the Davis Campground where an improperly extinguished campfire was cited as the cause.
“That fire was in our district, so obviously we had the most at stake,” says Colin Thompson, a Wildland engine captain with the Truckee Meadows Fire District who fought the Davis Fire for 14 days last September.
The Heroes Who Risked It All
Thompson and Colton Hughes were on a wildland project over Mt. Rose when they were dispatched to the Davis Fire. At first, the call seemed routine, but as they came over the curve of the mountain, a giant plume of black smoke gave away the true danger that lurked beyond.
While the sheer size of the fire and the weather played huge roles in its danger, both Thompson and Colton agreed that its location close to home had an impact as well. There was community pressure not only to save homes but to save the ski lodge on Mt. Rose and to stop the fire from burning through the Tahoe National Forest.
At one point, in order to shut down the fire’s pathway to the larger basin, Fire Captain Patrick Hughes made a bold call. He sent his men down the side of the mountain to lay line and create a blockade in the fire’s path. Coming in from the side and traversing the burnt spots that can’t reburn brought the men right up against the flames, each carrying approximately 100 pounds of gear and hose downhill. The brave and dangerous tactic was rewarded with Bravery Medals for the crew involved, including Thompson, Patrick, and Colton.
“That was a very interesting tactic because of the terrain, the fuel,” says Colton. “We all kind of had a feeling we were going to be going down there… for us as captains, we’re thinking more about our guys and making sure they are going to be okay.”
“The terrain was so steep that ropes were used to secure balance and footing as they descended to do their work. Under most conditions, it wouldn’t even be entertained due to the risk involved,” Adam Mayberry, public information officer for Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue, explains. “However, had that line not been secured and the fire continued to move south, it would have come into alignment with houses south of the existing perimeter in Washoe Valley. Further spot fires could have impacted the east side of Washoe Lake. Extreme winds and hazardous conditions made this operation very challenging. Bees were also a frequent issue, and some personnel were stung multiple times and continued to push through while implementing the plan.”
“You need to be okay with making decisions with limited information,” Patrick says. “Our main goal is to control the fire line and make sure it doesn’t progress any further.”
This is achieved through a variety of efforts including laying line to create perimeters and shield residential areas from the flames, digging ditches to do the same, hacking down brush and other kindling near the fire’s edge, and calling in aircraft to dump water from above.
Patrick was at the fire camp for 10 days in total, working 16 hour days. Firefighters do not leave the area while working on a fire. He was quick to give credit to the other agencies that helped TMFD and their Wildland Fields Division in getting the fire under control, including Silver State Hotshot (an inter-agency hotshot crew) and Slide Mountain and Marlette Peak hand crews.
As a captain, Patrick wasn’t only close to the flames, he’s calling the shots, making in-the-moment decisions to balance the safety of the community and his men, and organizing efforts such as evacuations. He’s also one of the people making the call on how to best reach 100% containment while limiting loss of life and loss of structures.
On this particular fire, he said the forested landscape added difficulty because the timber provided fuel for the flames and the height of the trees often took the blaze above their heads where air resources needed to assist. Those resources, in any department, are limited.
High winds also created additional hotspot threats where embers could be carried and create new fires.
“I think the most challenging part for us was keeping up with the fire behavior and the forecast and being able to contain the fire within the parameters we had established,” he said.
While watching their own backyard burn and putting their lives on the line, trust becomes important. Colton says you have to trust your leadership are making the best possible calls. “You’re doing it together and you know you’re not going down there by yourself,” he said.
Thompson chimed in. “If you’re not scared, you’re too comfortable.”
And while being boots on the ground, coming face to face with unpredictable flames is terrifying for anyone, both Thompson and Colton acknowledged how much more difficult these scenarios are for their families.
“It’s definitely hard. It’s hard for us, it’s super hard for them,” Colton said. And the Davis Fire, due to its proximity to home, hit different.
While efforts were able to contain the fire in 18 days and there were no fatalities, the structures that went down left some homeless.
Unimaginable Loss
Hannah Hoobyar’s family was one of those unlucky few. “We evacuated as soon as we got the order to. Where we lived it was hard to leave as you had to drive on the wrong side of the road and it was blocked with people taking photos and watching along with road blocks to stop traffic,” she recalls. “We kept calling and they said no evacuations yet but it was [a] firefighter who pulled in and tagged our mailbox who told us to go now.”
By the time Hoobyar and her family left, their property was on fire. They were able to get themselves and their animals out, but everything else was lost.
While not the owners of the structure, the Hoobyar family of four had been renting the property for 10 years. According to Hoobyar, their landlords (who did not wish to be interviewed) have decided not to rebuild due to the high cost and the insurance reimbursement. The well and soil were burned so badly that rebuilding would mean re-drilling the well, which is both difficult and expensive.
“Our GoFundMe is what got us into [a rental in South Reno] and getting what we needed. We got some help from smaller local organizations, which was amazing, such as Ashlee’s Toy Closet.”
Hoobyar recently returned to the site of the fire with our photographer, Willis Bretz. “There was a lot of emotion happening when seeing the house when we took photos. It was weird seeing it,” she says. She recalls memories living in the home, seeing the fire coming toward it, and then seeing it actively on fire in a video. When they were able to return, the house had been reduced to rubble and the family was walking on top of everything they had owned after it burned.
Ongoing Protection
Fires are unavoidable, and they will inevitably continue to happen. But while local fire departments exist to keep us safe, fight residential fires, and assist with medical emergencies, the Wildland department is actively working to reduce the occurrence of fires as well as their spread.
Both Colton and Thompson work 48-hour shifts with the specialized department in order to clear brush and mitigate fire risk. The pre-work they did in the Mt. Rose area undoubtedly helped crews fight the Davis Fire faster and limited hot spots and spread.
The Wildland Fuels Deduction Division continues these efforts throughout rural and residential Nevada in order to keep homes and people safe, and to prepare for the next fire that will hit.