A fire in northern Nevada has resulted in the suspension of rail service and power outages affecting several thousand rural residents. The wildfire, which burned over a square mile of land and briefly closed a section of Interstate 80, was contained by night crews, preventing any reported injuries or structural damage near Winnemucca. Despite threatening approximately a dozen homes, firefighters managed to control 50% of the blaze by nightfall.
The Amtrak route connecting Chicago to Oakland, California, remained shut down as safety personnel evaluated potential damage. NV Energy reported over 3,000 residents were without power due to precautionary shutdowns in the area. The Bureau of Land Management revealed that various aircraft, including a large airtanker and a helicopter, along with 20 fire engines were utilized to combat the fire. Fortunately, I-80 closures were brief, lasting only about an hour. Corrections were made to clarify that the fire occurred southwest, not southeast, of Winnemucca.
