Liability for Little Valley Fire could be big for Nev.
By Anjeanette Damon, Reno Gazette-Journal
The estimated market value of the 23 homes destroyed in the Little Valley Fire ranged from $542,000 to $3.8 million, according to a Reno Gazette-Journal analysis of data obtained from the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District on Thursday.
The data suggests the state of Nevada could face a significant liability if investigators confirm the wind-swept blaze started as a result of a controlled burn the Nevada Division of Forestry conducted in the days before the fire started.
The Reno Gazette-Journal obtained market estimates from Zillow.com for 18 of the 23 houses destroyed in the fire based on the addresses provided by Truckee Meadows Fire. The value totaled $26.1 million. The average value of the homes was $1.4 million.
The estimate did not include the value of the 17 outbuildings that also were lost to the blaze.
Terry Taylor, an independent fire investigation consultant, said that based on his professional opinion, the value of the property loss could exceed $80 million when outbuildings, vehicles, personal belongings and landscaping is taken into consideration.
