November 20, 2024

The Pizen Switch Times

Established 2021

Urban Interface Fire on Nordyke Road in Mason Valley: 8/31/2024 at 8pm

Yerington/ Mason Valley Fire Protection District personnel and equipment are on scene of an Urban Interface Fire on the west end of  Nordyke Road in Mason Valley that began just before 8pm on August 31, 2024.  An Urban Interface Fire occurs in an “area where human development meets or intermingles with undeveloped wildland and vegetative fuels”.

North Lyon County Fire Department, Central Lyon County Fire District, and water tenders from Peri & Sons Farms and Scatena Farms are also on scene at this fire. BLM Bureau of Land Management arrived after 9:30pm. NDF Nevada Department of Forestry plans to arrive on Sunday morning to assist with containment.

Jeff Page is the Incident Commander on the fire, with Lyon County Emergency Manager Taylor Allison involved.

Initially there was a residential evacuation order that Lyon County Sheriff’s Office and Yerington Police Department assisted with. At 9:45pm, the evacuation order was lifted. Residents are allowed to return, and non-residents are urged to avoid the area.

Until 10:30pm, Highway 339 will remain closed to through traffic at the east end of Nordyke Road.

From MVFPD Chief Scott Draper on 9.2.24:

For those of you that don’t know me, I am the Fire Chief for Mason Valley. This was my brother’s house, he was out of town at the time of the fire.

This picture, from his front yard, was taken by neighbors who were first on scene; Dennis & Melanie Pinkerton, Steve and Laura Tomac, and Jeff and Laurie Borsini. Their quick actions using garden hoses, fire hoses off of Borsini’s water truck and the well pump to soak down his house and the land between the house and fire are what saved his house from burning.

We are a mostly volunteer fire department and this fire would have been much more difficult to extinguish if it had not been for these neighbors and all the others that came out to help; Louis Scatena with his water truck, Matt Sr. & Kaylynn Galvin and Peri & Sons Farms with four water trucks and a dozer, Pinenut Farm with a water truck, Dale Borsini with a large tractor, LCSO and YPD officers Galvin, Powell, Adams. Jay Flakus with the City of Yerington, NDOT, BLM, Central Lyon Fire, North Lyon Fire, and most importantly BC Page and all the dedicated men and women of the Yerington Mason Valley Fire Department that dedicate so much of their lives to help this community in times of need.

 

**Updated incident synopsis provided below photos from Yerington/ Mason Valley Fire Protection District.**

Three photos from local resident Lisa Smith, followed by photos from Yerington/ Mason Valley Fire Protection District:

Yerington/Mason Valley Fire Protection District reported:

“August 31 at 1927 hours YMVFD was dispatched to the area of 7 Nordyke Road for an illegal burn. While enroute YMVFD was notified that this was a working wildfire.
The call was upgraded to a first alarm assignment and mutual aid was requested from Central Lyon Fire District, North Lyon Fire District, and Bureau of Land Management.
Upon arrival units were met with a fast fire and heavy fuel load with structures threatened. Neighbors were fighting fire to protect the closest structure.
Fire Command requested an evacuation order for residents south of Nordyke as the winds were driving the fire south and east.
LCSO, YPD and NDOT closed Nordyke and State Route 339 to traffic.
Peri & Sons and Scatena Farms provided water trucks to assist with fire fighting operations.
The following resources were on scene:
  • YMVFD with 1 Battalion Chief, 4 brush engines, 2 structure engines, 1 tender, 1 ambulance and 1 Rehabilitation Unit.
  • BLM 2 Brush Engines and 1 Battalion Chief
  • CLCFPD 1 Brush Engine
  • NLCFPD 1 Brush Engine.
  • Peri and Sons 3 water trucks
  • Scatena Farms 1 water truck
  • LCSO 3 units
  • YPD 1 unit

The fire was contained to 4 acres and (no) structures  were damaged or destroyed.

The cause of the fire is not known at this time and is being investigated. Anyone with information about the cause of the fire is asked to call YMVFD at 775-463-2261.

YMVFD would like to thank all those who assisted with fighting this fire.”

From Ryan Davis:

From Jennifer Lim:

From Karina Landeros-Garcia:

 

9.1.24 Yerington/ Mason Valley Fire Protection District and Bureau of Land Management were “mopping up hot spots this morning. Crews should wrap up in 2-3 hours,” per YMVPD.