Ward Fire (NV)
True color
Fire (SWIR)
Infrared / SWIR (right): sees through smoke.
🟢 green = vegetation
🟤 red/brown = burned
🟠 orange = active fire
Imagery: Sentinel-2 (Copernicus). Drag to compare smoke vs. infrared.
Heat detections: NASA FIRMS (last 48h).
Quick facts
- Location
- 10 Miles S from Ely, NV
- Cause
- Natural
- Personnel
- 236
- Complexity
- Type 3 Incident
- Fuel
- Timber (Litter and Understory)
- Behavior
- Extreme, Wind Driven Runs, Short-range Spotting
- Jurisdiction
- USFS · Federal land
Spreading at an approximate rate of 2,733 acres per day over three days of burning, the active Ward Fire has charred 8,200 acres of federal timber, litter, and understory 10 miles south of Ely, Nevada, in White Pine County. Satellites have registered 65 heat detections over the past 48 hours, highlighting the rapid expansion of the blaze.
Driven by extreme fire behavior, wind-driven runs, and short-range spotting, the natural-cause wildfire remains zero percent contained. A force of 236 personnel, operating under a Type 3 Incident management structure led by a Type 3 IC from the USFS, is currently deployed to combat the incident, which has already accumulated $2,100,000 in costs.
This incident unfolds during the region's typical fire season, which spans from June to October. Nationally, the broader context shows 2,528,284 hectares burned so far in 2026, marking a figure that is 54% below the two-decade average.
In context
This wildfire has been burning in Nevada for 3 days. So far it has affected roughly 8,200 acres — about 33 km². Crews report no containment yet, so the fire can still spread.
In the Northern Hemisphere, wildfire activity usually peaks during the warm, dry months — roughly May through October.
The bigger picture in United States
Across United States, roughly 2,528,284 hectares have burned so far in 2026 — 54% below the two-decade average. Data from Copernicus GWIS.
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Community reports
Reports from people near the fire · unverified
Not official emergency information. In an emergency, contact fire services/authorities.
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