August 12, 2026
Wildfire Update | August 12, 2026 | 2 min read
The Bug Fire has merged with a second blaze along the California-Nevada border, creating one large, fast-growing fire near Reno. Here's the latest on size, containment, and what's driving it.
The Bug Fire, which ignited August 8 near Hallelujah Junction on the California-Nevada border, has merged with the nearby Fred Mountain Fire. Officials are now tracking the two as a single combined fire perimeter. As of August 12, the merged fire has burned approximately 61,800 acres and is 4% contained, according to the Bureau of Land Management-Nevada, which has taken over command of the incident.
The fire is burning north of Reno along the California-Nevada border, in the North Valleys area of Washoe County. It has forced mandatory evacuations for an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 residents, including in the Cold Springs and Lemmon Valley areas.
Extremely dry fuel, hot conditions, and strong afternoon winds have driven rapid fire movement, with officials warning that similar conditions are expected to continue pushing significant growth. Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency for Washoe County due to the pace and scale of the fire.
Nevada is in the middle of a severe, months-long drought, with critically dry vegetation across the state. The national fire preparedness level currently sits at its highest tier, meaning firefighting resources nationwide are heavily committed, and officials warn the potential for new large fires in the region remains above normal in the days ahead.
Prep your home before smoke arrives
Wildfire smoke can travel well beyond the fire zone. A few steps to take now:
Sources: Bureau of Land Management-Nevada, National Interagency Fire Center, KOLO, News 4.
