highway 395

From the US National Weather Service in Reno:

Four of the people killed in 2012's fatal crashes died on Highway 395 during the same night.Figures released by the Nevada Highway Patrol list six fatal accidents in Douglas County that resulted in...

Recent rainfall and clearing skies may allow areas of fog to develop across the Lake Tahoe Basin, northeast California and western Nevada through Thursday morning.
The National Weather Service in Reno reports visibility could drop below one mile with a few areas of dense fog and visibility below 1/4 of a mile early Thursday morning. Fog will begin to burn off after 8 a.m., and may linger in a few valleys until 11 a.m.

A series of weather systems are due to arrive later this week that could bring significant snow amounts to Lake Tahoe area ski resorts and surrounding Sierra.
The weather changes are due to arrive beginning Wednesday with a quick-moving storm expected to bring a few inches of snow to the region, according to the National Weather Service in Reno.

Two commercial burglaries early Monday morning in Douglas County have authorities asking the public for help in identifying the suspects with photos provided by surveillance cameras.
The first burglary occurred at the Verizon Wireless Outlet Store on Waterloo Lane sometime around 5 a.m. Entry was made by the suspect smashing the glass of the exterior window of the store. Two cellular telephones, phone chargers and miscellaneous currency were stolen from inside. Click on images to enlarge.

UPDATE 8PM: The U.S. Forest Service reports Friday night that the fire burning on the Douglas County side of Lake Tahoe on public land off of Elks Point Road has been contained at 2.6 acres. Cheva Heck, spokeswoman for the Forest Service, said local government resources assigned to the fire are being released. An engine will remain at the fire site overnight. The cause of the fire is under investigation. "We have no reports with lightning or problems with power lines. The fire is believed to be human caused," she said.

UPDATE 8:45AM: Highway 395 has reopened with controls (pilot vehicle) so expect delays and watch for fire vehicles, according to Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center.

The Nevada Highway Patrol has released more information into two deadly vehicle accidents this weekend that resulted in four fatalities on Highway 395 in Douglas County. The accidents happened within a few hours of each other. The first accident, in which three people died, was reported at 11:45 p.m. Saturday night near Leviathan Mine Road on Highway 395.

Hello fellow anglers, I was all excited to tell of our fishing trip last week, but something else came up. As we drove south on Highway 395 from Walker, Calif., the wind was howling and the trees w...

BIG PINE, Calif. (AP) - A wildfire burning near a main highway in the eastern Sierra Nevada is nearly surrounded.The 1,103-acre blaze west of Highway 395 in Inyo County was more than 85 percent con...

Update 12:22PM: A small brush fire on Cold Creek Trail in South Lake Tahoe is contained and burned about one-quarter of an acre, reports U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Cheva Heck. Fire personnel from Lake Valley Fire Protection District and South Lake Tahoe and U.S. Forest Service brought the fire to containment. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Heck said. Initial reports that came in said the fire started as a backyard burn pile.

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A strong cold front will move through the region Saturday afternoon bringing high winds to the Sierra and Lake Tahoe region and up to 18 inches of snow in the higher elevations, according to the National Weather Service in Reno. A High Wind Warning is in effect across the Sierra and Western Nevada from Friday night through Saturday. Wind gusts are expected to reach 60 mph through most valleys and up to 70 mph in wind prone areas with gusts over 100 mph across Sierra ridges.

Douglas County Democratic Central Committee will serve free pizza and refreshments during its rescheduled meeting 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday at the committee's headquarters, 1513 Highway 395, Gardnerv...

More changes in the weather are in store this week as a winter storm, which may produce strong winds and heavy snow, is expected to arrive in the Lake Tahoe Basin by Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service in Reno.

A Nevada Highway Patrol officer suffered minor injuries after being hit by a driver who was allegedly under the influence at the intersection of Highway 395 and State Route 88 early Saturday morning.

CARSON CITY, Nev. - A drive along Highway 395 through Pleasant Valley Saturday morning gives but a glimpse of the tragedy that struck the area little more than 24 hours earlier.A light dusting o...

Officials reported this morning that the Washoe Drive Fire destroyed 26 homes, and has currently consumed 3,900 acres.
At a 9 a.m. press conference, officials reported the blaze is 50 percent contained, and that 700 firefighters are working to extinguish hot spots in advance of the high wind that are forecast for this afternoon.
There were 20 homes reported lost last night, but in the light of day, personnel working the fire were able to get a better count of the structures that burned.

View Washoe Drive Fire (1/19/2012) in a larger map

UPDATE 10PM: Reno Fire Chief Michael Hernandez said tonight the Washoe Drive Fire has consumed and estimated 3,700 acres, burned at least 20 structures and has resulted in one fatality.
Hernandez would not go into details of how the person died. He said the 250+ firefighters on the scene have stopped the forward progress of the fire. He said the fire started in the East Lake area, and then followed the Highway 395 corridor north, where it was stopped just south of Galena High School.
Highway 395 will be closed until further notice due to damage to debris and damage to guard rails, power poles and other item near the roadway. Gov. Brian Sandoval told state workers who commute by this route to stay home Friday. Evacuations have been lifted for the Galena area. About 2,000 people are still unable to go back to their homes tonight.
Hernandez said firefighters saved more than 800 homes that were in the path of this destructive fire.
The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.
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UPDATE 9PM: Reno Fire officials report forward progress on Washoe Drive fire has stopped. Fire behavior is moderating due to diminishing winds, lowering termperatures and increasing humidity/moisture moving over the Sierra Nevada/Carson Range. Fire burns more than 3,000 acres with zero containment; 10,000 evacuated; no count on home and structure losses.

U.S. Highway-395 remains closed between 1.8 miles north of Carson City to the Junction of SR 341/431 (Mt. Rose Junction) in south Reno. U.S. Highway 395 could remained closed on Friday (1/20) through the morning commute - make alternate plans.
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At 4:40 pm Thursday, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, under his constitutional and statutory authority, made a state declaration of emergency which qualifies local governments for federal assistance associated with this event. The National Guard is on standby at the request of Sandoval and Washoe County. California has also provided fire assistance as part of a Governor to Governor agreement with Jerry Brown.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been and are being affected by this fire,” Sandoval said. “Declaring a state of emergency ensures that every resource from the local, state and federal level is available to assist. The Nevada Division of Forestry and the Department of Public Safety have also engaged with local responders.”
Additionally, Nevada has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG). As a result, Nevada is eligible for up to 75 percent funding assistance for eligible costs. The request was made by the Nevada Division of Forestry on behalf of Washoe County at the onset of the fire.

More below the fold.

GARDNERVILLE, Nev. - Fire crews have shut down Highway 395 in response to the fourth wildland fire reported today, the latest located near Stone Throw's Road in south Gardnerville. The call came in...

A 25-year-old Minden man died Saturday in a motorcycle crash on U.S. Highway 50 east of the Douglas County line on Spooner, seven miles west of Highway 395 in Carson City, the Nevada Highway Patrol reports.

According to NHP Trooper Chuck Allen, Edwin Bruno-Mazariego was riding his green 2008 Kawasaki ZX600P motorcycle east bound on the four-lane highway. For reasons still unknown, he failed to negotiate a left hand curve and departed the travel lane striking the adjacent section of guardrail.

At least three people, two whom are U.S. military personnel and were in full uniform, have died with the gunman reportedly near death after a shooting this morning shortly before 9 a.m. at the International House of Pancakes, IHOP, in Carson City, according to Sheriff Ken Furlong.

The suspected shooter, reportedly using an automatic weapon, apparently shot himself and is clingling to life, Furlong said during a press conference. Three police chaplains have also been called in to respond to and speak with families of the shooting victims. The FBI is not investigating and members of the U.S. Army National Guard are on the scene.

The shooting on South Carson Street has the roadway closed at both sides of Highway 395 and at Eagle Station Lane.

A couple inside the restaurant, Howard and Ellen MacDonald from Southern California who were visiting family from Carson City, both managed to escape with other customers out of the back door of IHOP when bullets began flying. The MacDonalds said they had been eating their breakfast when they heard several shots being fired, windows breaking and an employee who came out of the kitchen yelling "Get out now!" said Howard MacDonald.

"I'll never forget that sound," said Ellen MacDonald, adding that it was gunshots followed by screams.

Across the way at Locals' BBQ, owner Ralph Swagler said he witnessed much of the shooting. He said that he and his son were in the restaurant when they saw a man pull into the IHOP parking lot, where he began shooting outside the restaurant. Swagler said he then saw a man on the ground next to a motorcycle, as the male shooter began shooting from the front of the restaurant to the inside. Swagler said the weapon was an assault-style weapon, in which he said the man "fired off an entire clip, reloaded and then walked inside and began shooting."

The shooter then walked outside restaurant, saw Swagler and his son as they attempted to lock the Locals' BBQ door, then began shooting at the restaurant, he said. And then the shooter walked over to the H&R Block building and shot at it but did not go inside, Swagler said.

Stray bullets have been found all over the area, in between the McDonald's building and Casino Fandango, as well as throughout the IHOP parking lot.

Law officers from agencies around Northern Nevada are responding to scene, with officers asked to respond to Carson Tahoe and Renown Medical Center in Reno to speak with and identify the victims, according to police scanner dispatch.

Gun shells have been found as far as the Casino Fandango. At least one more patient has been airlifted to Reno with one other shooting victim being taken by ground ambulance.
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