Updated: 4:37 p.m. Aug. 31

First discovered: 47 hours ago, 5:12 p.m. Aug. 29

Initial location: Washoe County, Calif.

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: R-14 BUFFALO

R-14 BUFFALO Fire initially started 5:12 p.m. Aug. 29 in Washoe County, 18 Miles W From Gerlach.

Since its discovery 47 hours ago, it has burned 1,276 acres of federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, an increase of 526 acres since the last update. By Sunday afternoon, a crew of 179 firefighters succeeded in containing 20% of the fire. It is still undetermined what caused the fire. Currently, the expenses for managing this wildfire stand at $2,200,000.

Short grass, measuring one foot, is the primary fuel for the wildfire.

What happens when short grass drives wildfires

Due to the easily ignitable nature of short grass, a fire will spread rapidly, but it will consume the available fuel quickly, resulting in relatively short burn times. The flames have low to moderate intensity compared to wildfires fueled by heavier vegetation. During periods of high winds or low humidity, there’s a potential for increased fire behavior. Grassland fires create minimal smoke and there’s reduced risk of deep-seated hotspots compared to wildfires burning on heavier fuels.

Fire containment

What does it mean for a fire to be 20% contained?

Containment indicates what percentage of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 20% of the wildfire is halted from spreading, while 80% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn’t always correlate to safety level. Also, it’s important to note that containment doesn’t mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident’s central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: National Interagency Fire Center