Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fire Chief Update topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fire chief reports uptick in calls, details recent structure and ranch fires and NV Energy shutoffs
Summary
Elko County Fire Protection District Chief Matt Peterson reported a roughly 10% rise in calls this year, described two major recent structure/industrial fires and a gas-station blaze in Wendover, and outlined prevention work and county planning to mitigate impacts of NV Energy public-safety power shutoffs.
Chief Matt Peterson told the Elko County Board of Fire Commissioners on July 2 that the district’s calls for service are “up about 10% for the year,” and described two major structure fires in the prior month, including a large industrial-type fire at a ranch that destroyed equipment.
Peterson said the Maverick gas station in Wendover caught fire and the district assisted West Wendover and the Nevada State Fire Marshal’s Office over two days. He said the fire-prevention chief position is vacant, recruitment is under way, and several mitigation projects are active — including work under contract with NV Energy on lines feeding 10 Mile, Carlin, Spring Creek and Lamoille and planned installation of fire hose boxes in Tuscarora and Mountain City with support from Jackpot Fire Department.
On public-safety power shutoffs, Peterson told the board the shutoff in the county affected areas from Kittredge Canyon to River Ranch, lasted about eight hours in the instance discussed and “does shut off some of our rural water supplies.” He said the district has mapped portable water sources and staged tanks to ensure aircraft and ground resources can draft when rural pumps are without power.
Peterson also said the district has leaned on mutual-aid partners, with a crew deployed to support Ely and others assisting fires in Southern Utah. He urged use of established shooting ranges and noted exploding targets on public land are federally illegal. “We’re not the only county with this issue,” he said of the public concern about shutoffs, adding NV Energy is exploring funding options such as grants and the NV Energy Foundation to support generator or battery backups.
