Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wildfire Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Washoe County fire chief announces countywide fire restrictions, lists prohibited activities
Summary
Joshua, chief of Fire and Rescue, told the CAB that Washoe County entered fire restrictions effective June 22 and listed prohibited activities including outdoor smoking, open flames, campfires outside approved sites, fireworks, tracer ammunition and certain target shooting.
Joshua, chief of Fire and Rescue, told the community advisory board that Washoe County entered countywide fire restrictions effective June 22. He opened his monthly report with incident statistics — 85 incidents in May, a daily average of 2.74 and 91 unit responses — then described the restrictions and why they are needed.
"As of June 22 this year, Washoe County has entered into fire restrictions," Joshua said, listing prohibited acts including smoking outdoors, open-flame welding, campfires outside approved campgrounds, charcoal fires and the use of tracer ammunition or steel‑tipped rounds for target shooting. He said the restrictions remain "until further notice" and emphasized the county is in peak wildfire season and has been sending aid to out‑of‑state fires.
The chief clarified enforcement limits during questions: the Sheriff’s Office and municipal police have primary jurisdiction for shooting and similar public‑safety enforcement, while the fire department’s role focuses on risk reduction, public education and incident response. He advised residents to use designated shooting facilities and take other precautions to reduce ignition risk.
The announcement followed community discussion about local Firewise efforts and green‑waste disposal programs designed to reduce fuel loads. Joshua pointed listeners to the department website for the most current restrictions and collection dates.
