This was what the Bug Fire and Fred Mountain Fire looked like from Peavine Peak—elevation 8,269 feet—at 9:13 p.m., Monday, Aug. 10, with Silver Lake and Stead in the foreground.
At 9:31 a.m. today, Aug. 11, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported that the Bug Fire has consumed 44,304 acres, and is 4% contained. Watch Duty reporter Ben Ellerbrock said in a post that the 44,304 acre total includes the Fred Mountain Fire, because the two fires have merged.
The Bug Fire started on Friday, Aug. 8, in Lassen County, Calif., and quickly spread to Plumas County, Calif., and Washoe County. The Bug Fire started on Saturday, Aug. 9, near Cold Springs.
Also burning nearby: The Stallion Fire, in a hard-to-access area just south of Pyramid Lake.
Joe Schum, a Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue division chief, said yesterday in a press conference that “all three fires are human caused, but the investigations are ongoing, so details are not available at this time.”
Schum attributed the fires’ rapid growth to winds, low humidity and ample fuel.
“We are experiencing what is known as high resistance to control—meaning our engines, our dozers and our hand crews are having difficulty keeping the fire in check,” Schum said.
For updates and evacuation maps, check the Watch Duty app and website.