You’ve probably seen the hazy horizon or smelled that faint, metallic scent of woodsmoke drifting through the Great Basin and wondered if things are kicking off again. It's January 15, 2026, and while we’re technically in the "quiet" season, Nevada doesn't really do "off" years when it comes to fire. Honestly, keeping an eye on a fires in Nevada today map is basically a survival skill if you live anywhere near the sagebrush or the Sierra foothills.
Right now, the big picture is actually pretty calm, but "calm" in Nevada is a relative term. We aren't seeing the massive, thousand-acre infernos that usually dominate the headlines in July, but there is plenty of activity on the ground that doesn't always make the evening news.
The Current Layout of the Nevada Fire Map
If you look at the real-time data today, you won’t see many red "wildfire" icons, but you will see several purple and yellow markers. These are the prescribed burns. Agencies like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Nevada Division of Forestry are currently taking advantage of the cooler, wetter windows to clear out the "junk" fuel that leads to catastrophes later.
💡 You might also like: Shamsud Din Jabbar Videos: What Most People Get Wrong
Specifically, the BLM Ely District has been active. They recently green-lit a series of slash pile burns across White Pine and Lincoln Counties. We’re talking about areas like Ward Terraces, Ward Bench, and South Steptoe Valley. If you’re driving through those areas and see columns of smoke, don't panic—it’s intentional. It's a bit of a "pay now or pay later" situation with the landscape.
- Sun Valley: Local crews just wrapped up an overnight response to a pallet yard fire on Stella Drive. It wasn't a forest fire, but in our dry air, these things can jump to the brush in seconds.
- Washoe County: The Bon Pland RX (prescribed) has been smoldering under supervision for over a week now.
- Elko County: The Ruby Lake NWR and Ruby Lake Estates burns are ongoing. These are vital for protecting the local watershed.
Why the Map Looks Different This January
Weather is the master of the map. We’re currently sitting in a weak La Niña pattern. For us in the Silver State, that usually means a coin flip between bone-dry winters and weirdly warm spikes. The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) keeps the National Preparedness Level at 1 right now, which is the lowest it goes.
But here’s the thing: Nevada is "abnormally dry" in several sectors. While the northern peaks have some snowpack, the lower elevations are full of cured, brown cheatgrass. It’s basically nature’s tissue paper. One cigarette butt or a dragging trailer chain on I-80, and a "low risk" day becomes a 500-acre problem before the local volunteer department can even get their boots on.
Using the Right Map Tools
Don’t just Google "fire map" and click the first thing you see. A lot of those sites use old satellite data that "sees" heat from a factory chimney and marks it as a fire. For the real deal, you want the Nevada Wildfire Information Dashboard or the NASA FIRMS US/Canada map.
✨ Don't miss: I-94 Traffic Alert: What’s Actually Happening With the Car Accident on I 94 Today and How to Get Around It
The NASA map is cool because it uses MODIS and VIIRS satellite hits. It shows you "thermal anomalies." If a spot on the map glows, something is hot there. Usually, it's a controlled burn this time of year, but it gives you that 30,000-foot view in near real-time.
Actionable Steps for Today
Fires don't wait for "fire season" to officially start on a calendar. If you're looking at the map because you're worried about your property, here is what you should actually do:
🔗 Read more: Mario Cuomo Governor of New York: Why He Still Matters Today
- Check the "No Burn" status: In places like Nevada County (over the border) and Washoe, air quality often triggers "No Burn" days. Even if it's legal to burn your yard waste, if the air is stagnant, you'll get a hefty fine.
- Clear the "Big Five": Look at your roof, gutters, deck, and the 5-foot zone around your foundation. If it's full of dry pine needles today, it’s a fuse for tomorrow.
- Sign up for CodeRED: This is the emergency alert system most Nevada counties use. If a fire starts near you, your phone will scream at you before you even see the smoke.
The fires in Nevada today map shows a state that is breathing relatively easy for the moment. But in the high desert, "easy" is just the time you spend getting ready for the next "hard." Keep the map bookmarked, but keep your eyes on the horizon.
To stay ahead of the curve, you should verify your specific zone on the Nevada Natural Resources and Fire Information Portal (NNRFIP), which lets you see the exact fuel load and risk level for your specific street address.