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Fernley, Nevada

23 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1890 and the latest in 1985. It stands in the Fernley census division. It lies in ZIP code area 89408. The Survey maps it on the Fernley West quadrangle. 22,895 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 4,160 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Fernley within Lyon County

On record in Fernley

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 2 records

Population over time

2 figures

Fernley grew from 19,368 to 22,895 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
201019,368
202022,895+3,527 (+18%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

9 surveys from 23 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Photographs

6 photographs, 2022

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

A cement plant in Fernley, a small city in northwest Nevada
A cement plant in Fernley, a small city in northwest Nevada
Highsmith, Carol M, 2022. Library of Congress
The Frontier Fun Center, a family entertainment establishment in Fernley, a small city in northwest Nevada
The Frontier Fun Center, a family entertainment establishment in Fernley, a small city in northwest Nevada
Highsmith, Carol M, 2022. Library of Congress
An unexplained kiosk on a roadside in Fernley, a small city in northwest Nevada
An unexplained kiosk on a roadside in Fernley, a small city in northwest Nevada
Highsmith, Carol M, 2022. Library of Congress
Isolated, perhaps forgotten, freight cars that have become the palette of graffiti artists, near Fernley, a small city in northwest Nevada
Isolated, perhaps forgotten, freight cars that have become the palette of graffiti artists, near Fernley, a small city in northwest Nevada
Highsmith, Carol M, 2022. Library of Congress
Geese take flight in a remote irrigation canal near the small city of Fernley in northwest Nevada
Geese take flight in a remote irrigation canal near the small city of Fernley in northwest Nevada
Highsmith, Carol M, 2022. Library of Congress
Brown hills near the small city of Fernley in northwest Nevada
Brown hills near the small city of Fernley in northwest Nevada
Highsmith, Carol M, 2022. Library of Congress

Fires near this place

114 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 114 fires within 5 miles of Fernley between 1992 and 2020, burning about 732 acres in total. 9 started naturally. 4 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined41
Debris and open burning36
Natural9
Fireworks7
Misuse of fire by a minor5
Equipment and vehicle use5
Arson/incendiarism4
Recreation and ceremony3
Other causes2
Smoking2

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
8 September 2011Natural1.0 acresCarson City District OfficeLYOX 10
30 September 1996Natural2.0 acresCarson City District OfficeTIGER
16 September 2005Missing data/not specified/undetermined3.0 acresCarson City District OfficeWNA 9
12 September 2020Recreation and ceremonyunder an acreCarson City District OfficeWEST TRUCKEE RIVER RANCH
10 September 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined3.5 acresCarson City District OfficeWNA 17
1 September 2017Missing data/not specified/undetermined2.0 acresCarson City District OfficeFREEMAN
9 August 2017Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreCarson City District OfficeFLYING J
8 August 1998Equipment and vehicle use1.0 acresCarson City District OfficeWADSWORTH

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Lyon County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 12 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 12 workings within 5 miles of Fernley: 7 past producers, 3 producers, 1 unknown, 1 occurrence. 3 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Gold, Calcium, Diatomite. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Cr Minerals MillDiatomiteProducer
Nevada Cement Co. PlantCalciumProducer
Rainbow Canyon MinesGoldUnknown
Fernley No. 1 State PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Fernley PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Johnson PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Paiute PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Pyramid Sand & Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Sand & Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
State Highway Contract 1728 PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Lyon County

Storms near this place

18 since 1997

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Fernley in 18 storm reports between 1997 and 2023: 6 heavy rain, 4 flash flood, 3 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado. The reports record 1 death. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
January 2002Winter WeatherFernley1 killedno account filed
January 2008Flash FloodFernley$6,600,000A 40-foot-long break in the Truckee Canal released floodwater into portions of Fernley, Nevada on the morning of January 5th. Local newspapers reported that approximately 1500 people had to be evacuated from their homes. Water 2 to 4 feet deep affected as many as 500 homes. The Reno Gazette-Journal newspaper reported that more than $1.75 million in federal disaster housing assistance had been provided. In addition to this, Fernley city officials estimated that the cost to repair roads would be over $720,000.
July 2013Flash FloodFernley$25,000The Lyon County sheriff reported house and yard flooding near Saddlehorn Way, Mallard Way and Jenny's Lane. In addition, the Wendy's in central Fernley noted flooding. Three waves of heavy thunderstorm rainfall produced up to 1.3 inches of rain (per spotter reports) between about 1500PST and 1900PST.
July 2013Flash FloodFernley$10,000Training thunderstorms brought very heavy rain to the Fernley area during the afternoon and evening of the 4th. Flash flooding caused a 10 ft sinkhole to form near the intersection of Cable Canyon Rd and Seabiscuit Dr.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindFernley$5,000no account filed
July 1997Thunderstorm WindFernley$2,000A severe thunderstorm produced an estimated wind gust to 65 kts in Fernley. Tree limbs and a phone line were reported down. Power outages also occurred in the area. Alternate Highway 50 was closed briefly due to blowing dust.
July 2013Flash FloodFernley$1,000Three feet of standing water was reported on Scott Drive in Fernley.
October 2023Heavy RainFernley-A mesonet station (CW2857-Fernley) located 2.0 mi WSW of Fernley, NV reported a total rainfall amount of 0.50 inches.
July 2021FloodFernley-Spotter reported flooding on some roadways in the Fernley area due to thunderstorms. 0.25 inch of rainfall in 15 minutes.
April 2018Heavy RainFernley-CoCoRaHS station NV-LY-14, 3 miles west-northwest of Fernley reported 0.69 inches of rainfall in a 24 hour period from 6 April 0700PST to 7 April 0700PST.
April 2018Heavy RainFernley-CoCoRaHS station NV-LY-29, 1 mile southeast of Fernley reported 0.58 inches of rainfall in a 24 hour period from 6 April 0700PST to 7 April 0700PST.
October 2018Heavy RainFernley-CoCoRaHS station NV-LY-14, 3 miles west-northwest of Fernley reported 0.78 inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period from 3 October 0700PST to 4 October 0700PST.
October 2018Heavy RainFernley-A trained weather spotter 1-mile south-southwest of Fernley reported 0.78 inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period from 3 October 0915PST to 4 October 0915PST.
October 2009Heavy RainFernley-The Lyon County Emergency Manager reported street flooding in Fernley at 1745PST.
January 2008FloodFernley-A 40-foot-long break in the Truckee Canal released floodwater into portions of Fernley, Nevada on the morning of January 5th. Local newspapers reported that approximately 1500 people had to be evacuated from their homes. Water 2 to 4 feet deep affected as many as 500 homes. The floodwaters started to recede the afternoon of January 5th but remained over the area until the afternoon of January 6th.
June 1998Tornado (F0)Fernley-Public report of a tornado 6 miles south of Fernley, NV. Report confirmed by Lyon County Sheriff. Tornado in open country. Path width and length were unknown. No damage reported.
June 1998Tornado (F0)Fernley-A second tornado was reported by a pilot south of the Fernley airport. This tornado was also in open country. Path width and length were unknown. No damage reported.
July 1998Thunderstorm WindFernley-Storm survey on 07/24/98 reported 6 inch diameter limbs blown off trees with evidence of mud and water across roads from previous night's thunderstorms. Estimated peak wind gust 60 knots.

Every storm recorded in Lyon County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Argo4.7 miles22
Darwin8.0 miles21
Talapoosa10.7 miles22
Ramsey (historical)12.8 miles22
Silver Springs13.4 miles22
Nevada Station (historical)13.6 miles22
Ramsey Station15.4 miles22
Stagecoach17.4 miles22

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on FernleyAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q1948662The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 840446. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.