Brad Horn/Nevada Appeal A smokejumper parachutes onto a hill near the Genoa Peak fire above Genoa on Saturday. Ground attack on the fire was hampered by steep terrain and limited access.
Heavy tankers and unrelenting air attacks have officials confident the 16-acre Genoa Peak fire would be contained early this morning.
The fire started during Friday night's thunderstorm is burning above the town of Genoa. It was 60 percent contained as of 9:15 p.m. Saturday with a full line expected to be built around the fire by 6 a.m. this morning.
"People may still see smoke, but it's just pockets within the contained area burning," said Franklin Pemberton, spokesman for the Minden Interagency Dispatch Center.
The fire is being fueled by heavy timber, duff and brush on steep terrain at the 7,200-foot elevation. The limited access is hampering ground suppression activity, but the air attack is in full swing.
"Those heavy air resources made the difference" Pemberton said. "Having those resources available and receiving them made the difference. Without those resources, this would have been a much longer affair."
More than 60 personnel were expected to remain on the peak overnight to maintain existing fire lines and mop up hot spots. Air suppression efforts ceased at 9 p.m. Saturday but where expected to resume early this morning.
"They're turning the mountain pink with retardant. They're trying to wash this thing right off the mountain. They are talking about putting 30,000 to 40,000 gallons of retardant on this fire," Pemberton said.
One firefighter received a minor laceration Saturday afternoon and was removed from the line. Pemberton said the man was taken to the hospital for stitches, but was expecting to return to the fire line today.
The fire is burning in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The U.S. Forest service, the Nevada Division of Forestry and the East Fork Fire Protection District are working the fire.
No structures are threatened and no evacuations have been issued.
Traffic controls will remain in effect today on Foothill Road so that firefighting helicopters can pull water from the Carson River. Controls are also in place on Genoa Peak Road.
Resources assigned include: One type-I smokejumper crew, two type-I heavy air tanker, one type-I helicopter, two type-II helicopters, one type-III helicopter, three single-engine air tankers, two type-I hot shot crews, two type-II hand crews, one lead plane and one air-attack platform, which serves as in-flight air traffic control.
Genoa Peak fire
Estimated acreage involved: 16
Resources assigned: one type-I smokejumper crew, one type-I heavy air tankers, one type-I helicopter, two type-II helicopters, one type-III helicopter, three single-engine air tankers, two type-I hot shot crews, two type-II hand crews, one lead plane and one air-attack platform, which serves as in-flight air traffic control.
Structures: No structures are threatened.
Assisting agencies: U.S. Forest service, the Nevada Division of Forestry and the East Fork Fire Protection District are working the fire.
Personnel: 100
Contain/control: 60 percent as of 9:15 p.m. Saturday, 100 percent containment is expected 6 a.m. today
Road closures: Traffic control on Foothill Road for helicopter bucket operations and traffic control for Genoa Peak Road. Drivers are urged to use caution on Highway 395 south of Carson City as motorists are slowing to look at smoke and aircraft working the fire.
Fuel: heavy timber, duff and brush
- Source: Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch