(The Center Square) – U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, secured $2.3 million to help her state with wildfire prevention.
The money the senator received last week came from the National Science Foundation, which describes itself as an “independent federal agency that supports science and engineering” nationwide.
According to Rosen’s press release, the funding will be used for wildfire prevention research and community planning. The funding will go through the Nevada System of Higher Education and the Desert Research Institute.
Rosen said communities across the state “continue to confront the risks and dangers associated with wildfires.” She said she was working to improve Nevada’s readiness and ability to respond to these fires to keep residents safe.
The senator noted this funding will help Nevada communities “learn more about how fires spread across Nevada’s unique urban landscape.”
Rosen said she will continue to work in Washington, D.C., to help Nevada get the “resources and tools” it needs to “fight wildfires and protect” the state.
There are currently three wildfires in Nevada, according to Inciweb, a federal government website about fires across the country.
The largest fire is occurring in Northern Nevada. The Cottonwood Peak fire is 132,604 acres and 81% contained. Lightning caused this fire to start on Aug.15. Inciweb states over 200 personnel are working to extinguish the fire.
Nevada’s other two fires are in the southern part of the state. The bigger of the two is the Gothic Fire, which is 35,161 acres and is 95% contained. The other blaze, Cat Canyon Fire has burned 16,044 acres and is 70% contained.
According to a 2025 study from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, almost 20% of all of Nevada’s land area has burned since 1984, which is the fifth-most for any state.
The three Nevada counties that have burned the most since 1984 are Elko (41%), Humboldt (39%) and Eureka (28%).
