Authorities have charged a 40-year-old male with third-degree arson in relation to the blaze that briefly blocked Interstate 80 and caused interruptions to rail operations.
Arson suspect Johnnie Donald is facing charges related to the causes of the nearly two thousand-acre Ragland Fire in Humboldt. He was apprehended and faces charges of third-degree arson, carelessness, and breaches of laws concerning unlawful burning, according to authorities. While the inquiry drags on, the suspect is being housed at the Humboldt Detention Center.
The flames momentarily blocked up a section of Interstate 80 and scorched almost one square mile of land, but fire authorities reported that night firefighters had slowed down the blaze.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a dozen structures were in danger southwest of Winnemucca, which is approximately 165 miles northeast of Reno, Nevada. Fortunately, no injuries or damage had been recorded. The land management office said that by sundown on the 22nd, firefighters had successfully confined around half of the fire. Twenty fire engines and personnel were being supported on the ground by several aircraft, including a helicopter and a large air tanker.
As safety inspectors evaluated any possible damage, a section of the Amtrak line that runs from Chicago to Oakland, California, remained blocked.
As a precaution, power lines were turned off in the afternoon, according to NV Energy. It left more than 3,000 households without energy well into the evening.
Every year, hundreds of wildfires engulf Nevada. There were 55 days with fire-favorable weather in 2023, which means that during those days, wildfires were more likely to occur.
Years of drought and the proliferation of invasive species, such as cheatgrass, have made Nevada a prime target for wildfires. Shrubby areas dry out and burn most summers. In years of drought, plant development is stunted. Wildfire acreage tends to rise following exceptionally rainy years. After becoming abnormally lush from prolonged exposure to water, grasses are more prone to combustion when they dry out.
Around noon on August 24th, a new wildfire was reported in Humboldt. The Toad Fire has engulfed private land. What sparked the fire has not yet been determined.
