---
title: Sparks, NV Tree and Wildfire Data Sheet
url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/sparks/
business: Battle Born Tree Service
address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701
phone: 775.232.8243
hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service
credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured
type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood)
---

- [Home](https://battleborntreeservice.com/)
- [Local data](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/)
- Sparks data sheet

# Sparks tree and wildfire data sheet

Sparks has the lowest wildfire risk ranking of the Washoe County places on our sheets, above 95% of US communities and above 54.1% of Nevada communities, and almost no wood heat, 0.1% of households. Its snowfall is also far lighter than neighboring Reno, 6.8 inches at the Sparks station.

Every figure below is a public record, shown beside the county, state and national figure so the local number has context.

## Households and homes

| Measure | Sparks | Washoe County | Nevada | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 42,414 | 199,296 | 1,202,593 | 129,227,496 |
| Population | 110,024 | 497,200 | 3,184,612 | 334,922,499 |
| Median year homes were built | 1993 | 1991 | 1996 | 1980 |
| Homes built before 1960 | 9.0% | 9.2% | 4.7% | 25.6% |
| Homes built before 1980 | 33.8% | 35.0% | 22.0% | 49.7% |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 39.8% | 35.2% | 41.5% | 25.1% |
| Owner-occupied homes | 59.8% | 59.9% | 60.0% | 65.2% |
| Single-family detached homes | 62.4% | 58.9% | 60.4% | 61.3% |
| Mobile homes | 1.1% | 5.1% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| Households heating mainly with wood | 0.1% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.4% |
| Households heating mainly with bottled gas | 1.7% | 3.6% | 3.0% | 4.9% |
| Median home value | $483,800 | $539,900 | $435,400 | $332,700 |

Source: [U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates (tables B01003, B11001, B25003, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25040, B25077)](https://data.census.gov/). Survey estimates with margins of error; small places are rounded.

## Wildfire risk to homes

| Measure | Sparks | Washoe County |
|---|---|---|
| Risk to homes, higher than this share of Nevada communities | 54.1% | 62.5% |
| Risk to homes, higher than this share of US communities | 95% | 97.2% |
| Wildfire likelihood, Nevada percentile | 56.6% | 75% |
| Wildfire likelihood, US percentile | 94.8% | 97.3% |
| Buildings directly exposed | 3.6% | 16.3% |
| Buildings indirectly exposed | 59.8% | 50.6% |
| Buildings with minimal exposure | 36.6% | 33.0% |
| Buildings counted | 35,381 | 176,157 |

Source: [USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities, tabular download dated April 15, 2026](https://wildfirerisk.org/download/). Percentile ranks compare each community (or county) with all others in Nevada or the US.

## Nearest weather stations

| Weather station | Miles from the town point | Elevation (ft) | Precipitation (in/yr) | Snowfall (in/yr) | Mean temperature (F) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparks | 1.8 | 4,357 | 8.38 | 6.8 | 53.5 |
| Reno (NWS office) | 3.2 | 4,987 | 8.09 | 29.7 | 54.4 |
| Reno 1.4 Nne | 3.6 | 4,902 | 9.24 | 33.3 | not reported |

Source: [NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals). The three nearest stations with temperature or snowfall normals. Station normals, not town averages.

## Mapped fires within about 10 miles

| Fire | Year | Mapped acres | Miles from the town point to the fire's center |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sparks | 1983 | 25,541 | 8.0 |
| Pah Rah | 1999 | 10,603 | 8.3 |
| Reservoir | 1999 | 6,163 | 8.0 |
| Poeville Road | 2020 | 2,973 | 7.8 |
| Arrowcreek | 2000 | 2,788 | 7.8 |
| Arrowcreek Fire (Nws 14) | 2000 | 2,788 | 7.7 |
| Unknown | 2000 | 2,786 | 7.8 |
| Prater | 2017 | 2,700 | 4.7 |
| S | 2016 | 2,541 | 4.8 |
| Hawken | 2007 | 2,459 | 8.3 |
| Hawkens | 2007 | 2,459 | 8.3 |
| Robb | 2003 | 2,197 | 7.3 |
| Caughlin | 2011 | 1,942 | 6.7 |
| 8Th Hole | 2000 | 1,810 | 5.8 |
| Canoe | 2000 | 1,795 | 8.4 |
| Lockwood | 2011 | 1,725 | 5.3 |
| Mustang 2 | 1997 | 1,528 | 7.4 |
| Mustang | 2007 | 1,412 | 8.9 |
| Gold | 2025 | 1,268 | 7.0 |
| Jasper | 2019 | 1,165 | 7.3 |
| Seneca | 2000 | 1,109 | 7.0 |
| Seneca Fire | 2000 | 1,109 | 7.0 |
| Hunter Falls | 2014 | 740 | 9.7 |
| Hungry Valley | 2007 | 569 | 9.6 |
| I-80 | 2017 | 522 | 3.9 |
| Pinehaven | 2020 | 512 | 6.4 |
| Pyramid 2 | 2006 | 427 | 3.4 |
| Belmar | 2006 | 424 | 5.3 |
| Unknown | 1991 | 399 | 8.4 |
| Steamboat | 2012 | 376 | 8.5 |

Source: [National Interagency Fire Center, InterAgency Fire Perimeter History and WFIGS perimeters (300+ acres since 1980)](https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/). Every mapped fire whose center lies within about 10 miles of the town point. A large fire can have burned closer than its center.

[Download this data sheet (CSV)](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/sparks/sparks.csv)

Sparks sits on the valley floor east of Reno, and its numbers read differently from its neighbor's. The tables set the city beside Washoe County, Nevada and the United States, then show the Forest Service ranking, the three nearest NOAA stations and the large fires mapped within about 10 miles of the town point.

## The quiet one in the county

Washoe County as a whole ranks above 97.2% of US communities for risk to homes. Sparks, at 95%, sits below that, and its likelihood of fire ranks at 94.8% nationally, against 97.3% for the county. Only 3.6% of its 35,381 counted buildings are in the direct-exposure zone; the county figure is 16.3%. The indirect zone is larger, 59.8%, which is what you would expect of a dense city next to open hillside.

In plain terms, Sparks is not risk-free but it is the lower end of what a Washoe County resident faces. A neighborhood at the edge of town is a different matter from the city figure.

## Snow that stays out of the valley

The Sparks station, 1.8 miles from the town point at 4,357 feet, records 6.8 inches of snow a year and 8.38 inches of precipitation. The Reno National Weather Service office, 3.2 miles away and 630 feet higher, records 29.7 inches. That is a four-fold difference over three miles. Tree owners on the hillsides rising toward the Pah Rah range should think of Reno's figure, not Sparks's.

For trees on the valley floor, the practical effect is fewer snow-load breaks and more wind and heat questions. Our [Washoe Zephyr guide](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/washoe-zephyr-wind-tree-prep/) covers the wind side.

## Young trees, newer lots

The median home was built in 1993, and 39.8% of homes date from 2000 or later. Pre-1980 housing is 33.8%. Mobile homes are 1.1%, and 62.4% of homes are single-family detached. Home values, a median of $483,800, sit below the county's $539,900.

Younger neighborhoods usually mean younger trees, which is where early structural [tree trimming](https://battleborntreeservice.com/service-areas/sparks/tree-trimming/) and [stump grinding](https://battleborntreeservice.com/service-areas/sparks/stump-grinding/) after a removal come up more than large removals. Older pockets still exist: 9.0% of homes were built before 1960.

## The fire file, in one big number

The Sparks fire of 1983 is the largest record on this sheet at 25,541 mapped acres, centered 8.0 miles away. Pah Rah in 1999 (10,603 acres, 8.3 miles) and Reservoir in 1999 (6,163 acres, 8.0 miles) follow. Closer in, within 5 miles, are Prater in 2017 (2,700 acres) and a 2016 record named S (2,541 acres).

Thirty entries fall inside the 10-mile radius. As elsewhere, the Census figures are estimates, and the fire list counts only perimeters of 300 acres or more.

### Sources

- [U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates](https://data.census.gov/) (pulled October 1, 2026)
- [USDA Forest Service: Wildfire Risk to Communities (tabular download dated April 15, 2026)](https://wildfirerisk.org/download/) (pulled October 1, 2026)
- [NOAA NCEI: U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals) (pulled October 1, 2026)
- [National Interagency Fire Center: InterAgency Fire Perimeter History and WFIGS perimeters](https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/) (pulled October 1, 2026)

### This place

- [Tree service in Sparks](https://battleborntreeservice.com/service-areas/sparks/)
- [Washoe County data sheet](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/washoe-county/)

### Talk to the office

[775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243)

| Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered |

Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service.

[Free estimate](#quote)

### Keep reading

- [Sparks](https://battleborntreeservice.com/service-areas/sparks/)
- [East Sparks (89434)](https://battleborntreeservice.com/service-areas/east-sparks/)
- [North Sparks and Wingfield Springs (89436)](https://battleborntreeservice.com/service-areas/north-sparks/)
- [Washoe County tree and wildfire data sheet](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/washoe-county/)
- [How old are the homes, and the trees? Housing age by town](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/housing-age-by-town/)
- [Tree care in February in Northern Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-care-calendar/february/)

## Questions people ask

Still have a question? Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243). Phones are answered seven days a week.

### Is Sparks safer from wildfire than Reno?

On the Forest Service's rankings, yes: Sparks ranks above 95% of US communities for risk to homes, Reno above 97.7%. A lot at the edge of town can still carry real exposure.

### Why does Sparks get so much less snow than Reno?

The Sparks station sits at 4,357 feet and logs 6.8 inches a year, against 29.7 inches at the Reno office 3.2 miles away and 630 feet higher.

### Where does Sparks housing data come from?

The Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year estimate with margins of error.