{{Short description|Nevada wildfire}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox wildfire |title=Martin Fire|partof=the [[2018 Nevada wildfires]] |image=Martin Fire 7-7 PM, Fernando Pitones (29519514238).jpg |caption=Smoke from the Martin Fire on July 7.|location=Nevada, United States of America|area={{convert|439,230|acres}}|cause=Caused by a human, specifics unknown. Spread by dry, hot, and windy conditions.}}
'''Martin Fire''' was a [[wildfire]] in northern [[Nevada]], [[United States]], that started on Monday, July 5, 2018. The fire burned a total area of 439,230 acres.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Nevada's Martin Fire Largest in U.S.|url=http://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2018/nevadas-martin-fire-largest-in-us|last=Jenner|first=Lynn|date=2018-07-09|website=NASA|access-date=2020-05-04}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Image: Nevada's Martin Fire largest in U.S.|url=https://phys.org/news/2018-07-image-nevada-martin-largest.html|website=phys.org|language=en|access-date=2020-05-04}}</ref> It was the largest fire in Nevada's history, and one of the biggest in the U.S.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2018 wildfire season: What made it different in northeast Nevada|url=https://elkodaily.com/news/2018-wildfire-season-what-made-it-different-in-northeast-nevada/article_15901c38-ee5c-5d84-b65e-b24c3bcafa85.html|last=Featherston|first=Suzanne|date=6 December 2018|website=Elko Daily Free Press|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-05-04}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Martin Fire reward grows to $20,000 with donations|url=https://elkodaily.com/news/local/martin-fire-reward-grows-to-20-000-with-donations/article_c81c022c-9a54-58eb-9f7c-394aeb0b4255.html|last=DAILY|first=ELKO|website=Elko Daily Free Press|date=23 July 2018 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-04}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Martin Fire grows to largest fire in the country at 435,569 acres, 95 percent contained|url=https://mynews4.com/news/local/blm-are-battling-a-22000-acre-fire-in-paradise-valley|last=Team|first=News 4 & Fox 11 Digital|date=2018-07-05|website=KRNV|access-date=2020-05-04}}</ref> The blaze destroyed six [[ranch]]es, [[Pasture|grazing land]], and [[Habitat|animal habitats]].<ref name=":0" />
== Origin == The fire erupted seven miles north of [[Paradise Valley, Nevada|Paradise Valley]] in [[Humboldt County, Nevada|Humboldt County]] and burnt eastward into [[Elko County, Nevada|Elko County]].<ref name=":0" /> The origin of the fire was thought to be human-based. Dry, hot, and windy conditions combined with high fuel load caused the extension of fire.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" />
== Description == [[File:Martin Fire in Nevada.jpg|thumb|NASA's Suomi NPP satellite captured this image of the fire and smoke blowing from it on July 08, 2018 with the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument. Actively burning areas (hot spots), detected by thermal bands, are outlined in red.]] The fire was reported around 12:25 a.m. on July 5, and by 5:00 p.m, the fire had spread over 22,000 acres. On July 8, the fire was only 8% percent contained, and 330,000 acres were burnt.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4">"[http://sagebrusheco.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/sagebrusheconvgov/content/Meetings/2018/Final%20Martin%20Fire%20SEC.pdf Martin Fire]". ''Elko BLM ESR.'' Retrieved 2020-05-05.</ref> 35% containment of the fire was observed on July 9, and about 425,000 acres were burnt.<ref name=":4" /> By the end of it, 439,230 acres were damaged.<ref name=":1" /> Due to the size and complexity of the fire, both government agencies and private contractors were deployed to gain control of the fire. By July 12, there were approximately 572 [[firefighter]]s to fight the 680 mile long blaze.<ref name=":3" />
The [[Bureau of Land Management]] (BLM) had also announced a reward of $28,000 for anyone who would give information about who started the fire.<ref>{{Cite web|title=BLM: Reward For Arrest For Starting Martin Fire Up To $28,000|url=https://www.ktvn.com/story/38584301/firefighters-responding-to-wildfire-near-paradise-valley3|website=www.ktvn.com|date=6 July 2018 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-05}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=Martin Fire fully contained; rewards total $28,000|url=https://www.kolotv.com/content/news/Fire-northeast-of-Winnemucca-reaches-22000-acres-487470661.html|last=Staff|website=www.kolotv.com|date=6 July 2018 |language=english|access-date=2020-05-05}}</ref> By July 21, the fire was fully contained.<ref name=":4" />
=== Use of UAS === As per the 'Call When Needed' contract with the [[United States Department of the Interior|U.S. Department of Interior]], a team of pilots and four [[Unmanned Aircraft Systems|unmanned aircraft systems]] (UAS) were deployed by Bridger Aerospace, a private contractor, on 11 July. The UAS were used to map 425,000 acres of the wildfire to gather data on the magnitude of damage and locate hot spots using an [[Thermographic camera|infrared sensor]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Drones becoming vital part of wildland firefighting|url=https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/environment/drones-becoming-vital-part-of-wildland-firefighting/article_108fa1ce-1e2f-51b0-b8f0-1d94e33aa2bb.html|last=Wright|first=Michael|website=Bozeman Daily Chronicle|date=20 July 2018 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Martin Fire Archives|url=https://fireaviation.com/tag/martin-fire/|website=Fire Aviation|date=13 July 2018|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-05|archive-date=August 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812085555/https://fireaviation.com/tag/martin-fire/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Consequences == The fire destroyed grazing areas and a small building.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /> It destroyed the [[ecosystem]] for the [[Centrocercus|sage grouse]] and the [[mule deer]] habitat. Several springs and streams were also affected.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|title='It's gone, it's gone:' Nation's largest wildfire in Nevada devastates ranches, sage grouse|url=https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/its-gone-its-gone-nations-largest-wildfire-in-nevada-devastates-ranches-sage-grouse|website=thenevadaindependent.com|date=12 July 2018 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-05}}</ref>
== Closures == On July 10, the [[Wilson Reservoir (Nevada)|Wilson reservoir]] and campground (HWY 226) was closed for public safety due to [[Wildfire suppression|fire suppression]] activities. It was reopened on July 13.<ref name=":4" />
== References == {{reflist}}
{{2018 wildfires}} {{Nevada wildfires}}
[[Category:Wildfires in Nevada]] [[Category:2018 Nevada wildfires]] [[Category:2018 in Nevada]] [[Category:July 2018 in the United States]]