Martin Fire

Martin Fire was a wildfire in northern Nevada, United States, that started on Monday, July 05, 2018. The fire burned a total area of 439,230 acres.[1][2] It was the largest fire in Nevada's history, and one of the biggest in the U.S.[3][4][5] The blaze destroyed six ranches, grazing land, and animal habitats.[4]

Martin Fire
LocationNevada, United States of America
Statistics
Burned area439,230 acres (177,750 ha)
CauseCaused by a human, specifics unknown. Spread by dry, hot, and windy conditions.

Origin

The fire erupted seven miles north of Paradise Valley in Humboldt County and burnt eastward into Elko County.[4] The origin of the fire was thought to be human-based. Dry, hot, and windy conditions combined with high fuel load caused the extension of fire.[1][2][4]

Description
NASA's Suomi NPP satellite captured this image of the fire and smoke blowing from it on July 08, 2018 with the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument. Actively burning areas (hot spots), detected by thermal bands, are outlined in red.

The fire was reported around 12:25 a.m. on July 5, and by 5:00 p.m, the fire had spread over 22,000 acres. On July 8, the fire was only 8% percent contained, and 330,000 acres were burnt.[2][6] 35% containment of the fire was observed on July 9, and about 425,000 acres were burnt.[6] By the end of it, 439,230 acres were damaged.[1] Due to the size and complexity of the fire, both government agencies and private contractors were deployed to gain control of the fire. By July 12, there were approximately 572 firefighters to fight the 680 mile long blaze.[5]

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) had also announced a reward of $28,000 for anyone who would give information about who started the fire.[7][8] By July 21, the fire was fully contained.[6]

Use of UAS

As per the 'Call When Needed' contract with the U.S. Department of Interior, a team of pilots and four unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) were deployed by Bridger Aerospace, a private contractor, on 11 July. The UAS were used to map 425,000 acres of the wildfire to gather data on the magnitude of damage and locate hot spots using an infrared sensor.[9][10]

Consequences

The fire destroyed grazing areas and a small building.[6][8] It destroyed the ecosystem for the sage grouse and the mule deer habitat. Several springs and streams were also affected.[6][11]

Closures

On July 10, the Wilson reservoir and campground (HWY 226) was closed for public safety due to fire suppression activities. It was reopened on July 13.[6]

References
  1. Jenner, Lynn (2018-07-09). "Nevada's Martin Fire Largest in U.S." NASA. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
  2. "Image: Nevada's Martin Fire largest in U.S." phys.org. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
  3. Featherston, Suzanne (6 December 2018). "2018 wildfire season: What made it different in northeast Nevada". Elko Daily Free Press. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
  4. DAILY, ELKO (23 July 2018). "Martin Fire reward grows to $20,000 with donations". Elko Daily Free Press. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
  5. Team, News 4 & Fox 11 Digital (2018-07-05). "Martin Fire grows to largest fire in the country at 435,569 acres, 95 percent contained". KRNV. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
  6. "Martin Fire". Elko BLM ESR. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  7. "BLM: Reward For Arrest For Starting Martin Fire Up To $28,000". www.ktvn.com. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  8. Staff (6 July 2018). "Martin Fire fully contained; rewards total $28,000". www.kolotv.com. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  9. Wright, Michael (20 July 2018). "Drones becoming vital part of wildland firefighting". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  10. "Martin Fire Archives". Fire Aviation. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  11. "'It's gone, it's gone:' Nation's largest wildfire in Nevada devastates ranches, sage grouse". thenevadaindependent.com. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
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