Nevada
Nevada officials warn Gov. Lombardo of heightened 2026 wildfire risk as heat nears
Nevada fire officials are warning that 2026 could bring a challenging wildfire season, with abundant fuels and early drought conditions raising the potential for large-scale fires as the state heads into warmer months.
On Wednesday, Gov. Joe Lombardo received a briefing from state and federal fire agencies, including the Nevada Division of Forestry, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, on wildfire conditions and preparedness across the state.
“2026 is going to prove to be challenging,” said Ryan Shane, the state forester fire warden for the Nevada Division of Forestry.
While fire activity in northern Nevada was fairly mild in 2025, Shane said other parts of the state saw significant impacts.
“2025 last year was the heaviest fire year we’ve had in the last five, just about 457,000 acres burned, which is slightly above our 20 year rolling average,” Shane said. He added that “the acreage burned was largely in the northeastern Nevada.”
Communities being ready, the public not starting fires, and the fire suppression service getting out there doing a quick job of suppression fires kept any of these fires from going very large in this part of the state.
Officials said about 579 fires burned in 2025, with more than 300 of those being human-caused.
Looking ahead to 2026, Shane said fuels are abundant across the region, particularly in northern Nevada, as drought conditions begin to take hold.
“This is the first year of the onset of the drought cycle. And we have a lot of carryover fuels from previous years, as well as the fuels that have grown this year. We have a lack of snowpack in the upper elevations,” Shane said.
Fire agencies are coordinating with the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, which helps officials plan for fires and allocate resources when needed.
Jim Wallmann, a meteorologist with the National Interagency Coordination Center, said low Sierra snowpack and amount of fuel available is among the biggest factors influencing this year’s fire activity.
“They’re going to cure out generally earlier and then all the leftover grass in northern Nevada that we have from the last couple years as well and whatever little growth we get from this year will only add to it,” Wallmann said.
Shane said interagency agreements and help from local communities will be key through the year, urging residents to be prepared when outdoors.
“If you’re out and about, make sure you carry a shovel, some water, possibly a fire extinguisher, and a way to communicate and report a fire if you see one or cause one,” Shane said.
The U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and Nevada Division of Forestry are working to mitigate fuels, while efforts including resilient landscaping, fire-adapted communities and safe, effective fire response are aimed at keeping Nevada more fire-ready in 2026.
Email reporter Anthony Ramos at aramos@sbgtv.com. Follow @antramosnews on X and Anthony Ramos on Facebook.
Nevada
Nevada Attorney Gen. Aaron Ford responds to what he calls President Trump’s ‘misleading speech on elections’
CARSON CITY, Nev. (KOLO) – On Thursday, July 16, Nevada Attorney Gen. Aaron Ford responded to President Trump’s “misleading speech on elections.”
“You just watched President Trump attempt to revive conspiracy theories about the 2020 election that have repeatedly been debunked and dismissed by the legal system, independent analyses and state elections officials across the country,” Ford said. “My office fought against these lies from day one, and we successfully defended Nevada’s elections from this ridiculous misinformation.”
Ford said that Trump is trying to bring this topic back to life.
“He does not care that Americans are tired,” Ford said. “He does not care that Nevadans are more concerned with the economic impacts of his illegal tariffs and his disastrous foreign policy. He does not care that Nevadans are worried about his unchecked and dangerous immigration enforcement strategies. He does not care that Nevadans are upset about his attempts to abuse taxpayer dollars to create a personal slush fund through the IRS.”
Ford said Trump is trying to lay the groundwork to make a case to allow federal interference in Nevada’s elections.
“Trump has attempted to illegally interfere with the rights of states to conduct their elections, a right, to be clear, that is enshrined in the Constitution,“ Ford said. ”It is the sovereign right of Nevada and all other states to run their elections. Full stop.”
Ford said his office has always acted swiftly to investigate any allegations of voter fraud.
“Our elections have systems in place to ensure that only eligible people vote and attempts to vote fraudulently can be detected and prosecuted,” Ford said. “Since my time as attorney general, the system has worked, and we’ve prosecuted cases of voter fraud.”
Contrary to the lies that Trump continues to peddle, Ford said, the only threat to our elections is his inability to accept his loss.
“He’s still shopping around for someone, anyone, to tell him he won,” Ford said. “His inability to accept the results of past elections and his fragile ego are driving his desire to seize control of future elections. Our country deserves better.”
Ford said Nevadans are not going to stand idly by while Trump attempts to sow doubt, lies, and confusion about the midterm election. He added that the Secretary of State’s office does an impeccable job at administering Nevada’s elections.
“I will continue to use all of my office’s power to stand up against President Trump’s attempts to illegally expand federal power and interfere with states’ rights,” Ford said. “Nevada’s elections are safe and secure.”
Copyright 2026 KOLO. All rights reserved.
Video: How to make Cold Stone Creamery’s Strawberry Blonde ice cream
Chris Reynolds, franchisee of Cold Stone Creamery’s Reno locations, shows how to make the Strawberry Blonde ice cream.
When foodies think of the best ice cream in Nevada, their minds might immediately go to the world-class eateries in Las Vegas or the independent dessert shops in Reno. As it turns out (or at least according to Yelp) the best ice cream isn’t in either of Nevada’s most urban areas.
Last year, Yelp released its list of 100 best U.S. ice cream shops ahead of National Ice Cream Day on July 20, naming one rural spot as the best place to get a frozen treat in the entire state.
Luckily for Renoites, the best ice cream spot in Nevada isn’t far away. Here’s a look at the only Silver State location that made the list.
What is the best ice cream shop in Nevada?
Steve’s Homemade Ice Cream in Fernley was the only Nevada location to make Yelp’s best ice cream spots list. Steve’s is at 1360 US Hwy. 95A N., Suite 5, or just off the second highway exit going into Fernley from Reno, in the outdoor mall across the street from the Starbucks.
Yelp reviewers appreciated Steve’s variety of homemade ice cream flavors, the shop’s cleanliness and aesthetic appeal, and the owner’s friendliness.
How did Yelp make its Top 100 Best Ice Cream Shops list?
Yelp used the reviews of businesses in the ice cream category, then used factors such as the total volume of ratings and reviews to create its “all-time list of the Top 100 Ice Cream Spots in the U.S..”
When is National Ice Cream Day 2026?
Sunday, July 19, 2026, is National Ice Cream Day.
SPARKS, Nev. (KOLO) – From Friday, July 17, at 10 a.m. through 6 a.m. Monday, July 20, Southbound Pyramid Way will be closed from Oddie Boulevard to C Street in Sparks for repaving and reconstruction work, according to a Wednesday, July 15, Nevada Department of Transportation news release.
• Southbound vehicles will be detoured via McCarran Boulevard
• Business access will remain available via side streets and marked with signs
• Westbound and eastbound Prater Way will remain open during the closures
• Drivers are asked to leave extra time to detour around the closures
The $14 million improvement project will improve Pyramid Way for bout 28,000 drivers who use it daily, the release said.
In 2010, the road was fully repaved, with minor resurfacing in some areas more recently.
Copyright 2026 KOLO. All rights reserved.
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