18.0 Lyon County Risk/Hazard Assessment Conclusions

The recommendations in this report have been developed based on site-specific characteristics observed during the fire risk/hazard assessments performed by RCI. General and specific recommendations for each community in Lyon County provide a starting point in a proactive approach to reduce the risks to life, property, and natural resources from a wildland fire.

The communities in Lyon County vary from having a low risk of ignition and low hazard factors in Yerington, to having a high risk of ignition and high hazard factors in Smith Valley. There is a history of wildfires in close proximity to Fernley, Mound House, Smith Valley, Silver Springs, and Fort Churchill - Weeks. The communities in the western portion of Lyon County are prone to fire ignitions and wildfires will continue to pose a threat to the communities and surrounding natural resources.

Overall, Lyon County communities are well prepared for wildland-urban interface fires. The communities in Lyon County rely on four established fire protection districts. The Smith Valley Fire Protection District is entirely volunteer based, while the Central Lyon County, Mason Valley, Fernley Fire Protection Districts are combination career and volunteer departments. The formation of fire protection districts in the County has provides tax revenues for purchasing fire suppression equipment and employing full-time firefighters. Due to the County’s proximity to fire suppression resources along the eastern Sierra front, additional equipment and manpower is also available upon request to aid Lyon County communities.

To be most effective, fire safe practices need to be implemented on a community-wide basis. There is no way to completely eliminate the threat that wildfires present to communities at the wildland interface. However, the recommendations in this report are intended to increase public awareness and encourage concerned community members to make proactive efforts to effectively reduce the risk of wildfire ignitions near their communities. Implementing defensible space and fuel reduction projects, and public education programs, will help to mitigate the hazards inherent in wildland interface areas.