Resources for During and After a Wildfire

This page is in response to the Bug, Stallion, and Hawk Fires that impacted Washoe County residents in August 2026.

Resources for Meeting Your Immediate Needs

Shelter

Food

  • Food Bank of Northern Nevada helps connect residents to food assistance, emergency food distributions and local food pantries. (www.fbnn.org/, 775-331-3663 )
  • Access Nevada can help with replacement SNAP benefits through 8/28/2026 (food losses must be reported within 10 days; https://accessnevada.nv.gov)

General Assistance

  • Nevada 211 offers connections to critical services including housing, food, health care, and mental health (call 211 or research resources at www.nevada211.org)
  • Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada provides food and emergency assistance (https://ccsnn.org/, 775-322-7073)

Mental Health

  • 988 Lifeline crisis line connects you with a counselor during difficult moments, 24-hours a day. Call or text 988, https://988lifeline.org/)

Unemployment Benefits

  • If your work was disrupted by a fire, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits. https://detr.nv.gov/

Monitoring Wildfires

Keep an emergency alert device or radio for fire, weather, and evacuation updates as conditions may change. Find fire information at: 

  • NOAA Weather Radio provides immediate notifications and weather conditions (weather.gov/nwr): 
    • How to listen: Requires a NOAA Weather Radio–capable receiver or scanner and is available on these  
    • Frequencies:162.400, 162.425, 162.450, 162.475, 162.500, 162.525, 162.550 MHz 
    • Coverage: available across all of NV; find your nearest station via NOAA’s “Find My Station” tool. 
  • Watch Duty Wildfire App/website provides real-time verified updates, evacuation information during fires (https://app.watchduty.org/) 
  • Social Media– Many local, state and federal agencies will often post about current emergencies. 

Returning Home Safely 

Only return home once evacuations are lifted and you have confirmed with fire officials that your property is safe to enter. Once you have been cleared to return to your home, consider that there may still be hazards in your neighborhood. Remain alert and watch for: 

  • Damaged roads and structures- if your home or utility equipment appears damaged, do not enter the structure or attempt repairs yourself. 
  • Fallen or unstable trees– including burned roots and trunks, which can fail without warning 
  • Debris and hidden ground hazards– such as ash pits, burned-out root systems, unstable soil 
  • Compromised utilities– including downed power lines, damaged propane tanks, leaking gas lines 
    • Stay well away from damaged or downed power lines. Never assume a power line has been de-energized. Report downed lines by calling 911 and NV Energy at (775) 834-4100. 
    • If you smell natural gas or hear a hissing sound, leave the area immediately. Do not use lights, switches, appliances, phones, or anything that could create a spark. Once you are a safe distance away, call 911 and NV Energy at 775-834-4100. 
  • Household safety issues 
    • Check all burners, appliances, and gas-powered equipment to ensure they are turned off. 
  • Spoiled food– power outages can make refrigerated and frozen foods unsafe to eat. 
    • Test all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are functioning properly. 
    • Reconnect any essential equipment or devices that were unplugged before evacuation, if it is safe to do so. 
  • Contaminated water sources– ash and debris can affect wells, cisterns, and surface water 

Looking Ahead Towards Recovery 

Resource Directories

See these pages for current resources:

Nevada Office of Emergency Management Local Recovery Resources 

https://www.emergencywashoe.com/uncategorized/7088/) 

 

Cleaning up your house and property 

Community Aid Resources 

  • Nevada 211 offers connections to critical services including housing, food, health care, and mental health (call 211 or research resources at www.nevada211.org) 

Homeowner or Renters Insurance 

Nevada Division of Insurance issued the following guidance relating to homeowner insurance: 

“Insureds impacted by a fire evacuation may be entitled to cost reimbursement from their insurance company for loss of use and additional living expenses. Some insurance companies place customers in temporary housing/hotel with food allowance. Policies have specific terms and conditions, and coverage is reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may have a specific coverage sublimit. Insureds are encouraged to save receipts or records of transactions for evacuation-related expenses if they plan to file a claim. 

Insureds should review their policy and contact their insurance agent or insurance company before filing a claim. If they experience issues filing a claim or need help navigating the process, consumers are encouraged to attempt to resolve any issues with their insurance agent and/or insurance company by working with them directly or contacting the Division to file a formal complaint.” 

  • Document before you clean. Take photographs and video of damage and affected property before removing debris, making repairs, or discarding damaged items. Keep receipts and records of fire-related expenses. 

Find more information at doi.nv.gov. Contact the division at insinfo@doi.nv.gov, 775- 687-0700, or Toll-free: 888- 872-3234. 

Landscape Recovery 

General Assistance 

Assistance  Contact 
Assessments and technical support   Dan Harmon (USDA-ARS-GBRRU), daniel.harmon@ars.usda.gov  
Technical support  Bill Buckley (Nevada Division of Forestry), bbuckley@forestry.nv.gov  

 

USDA Recovery programs 

USDA issued the following about wildfire assistance for Nevada producers: 

“Nevada communities have been impacted by wildfires, including the Ward, New Pass, Shoshone, Bug, Fred Mountain and Stallion Fires, affecting families, ranches, livestock and wildlife. Resources are available through the USDA for impacted producers, including: 

  • Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP): Assistance for damaged infrastructure, erosion and invasive species. 
  • Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP): Assistance for wildfire-related watershed hazards, such as debris removal, erosion and streambank stabilization. 

If you have been impacted by wildfire, document your losses and contact your local USDA Service Center to learn about available assistance or visit: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/.” 

Flood After Fire 

Flooding and debris flows are more common in burned areas because of loss of plants to stabilize the soil and changes to the soil caused by intense heat. Find out more: https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=4548  

Wildlife 

Wildlife may have been displaced by the fires. Use extra care while driving and give animals plenty of space and a clear path to leave. Contact Nevada Division of Wildlife if an animal appears injured, trapped or poses an immediate public safety concern. 775-688-1500, ndowinfo@ndow.org 

 

 

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