Sisolak joins with fed agencies in plan to reduce wildfire risk

Gov. Steve Sisolak, the U.S. Forest Service, BLM and Fish and Wildlife Service have inked a plan designed to reduce the risk of major wildfire in Nevada.

Through the Nevada Shared Stewardship Agreement, the state and federal agencies will work together to identify priority projects that improve the health of the forest, rangeland and wildlife habitat. A spokesman said the goal is to make those areas more resistant and resilient to wildfire.

“Large scale wildland fires are one of the greatest threats to Nevada’s landscape and are occurring with increasing size, severity and frequency,” Sisolak’s office said in a statement. “Significant increases in invasive annual grasses compound Nevada’s fire challenges, alter ecological functions, degrade habitats for wildlife and reduce forage for livestock.”

The Forest Service has similar agreements with eight states but a spokesman said Nevada’s is the first to include the BLM, which manages the vast majority of Nevada’s acreage, and the Fish and Wildlife service.