Rough terrain hampers efforts to contain fires

Firefighters continue to battle two blazes that have consumed more than 2,000 acres in Northern Nevada.

The Faye-Luther Fire, located below Jobs Peak in Faye-Luther Canyon, is the smaller of the two fires. It has burned more than 90 acres, and crews working with the Sierra Front Incident Management Team had the fire 80 percent contained Saturday evening.

Mark Struble, Sierra Front Fire Information Officer, said full containment is expected by 6 p.m. today.

"They really plastered the fire (Saturday) morning with aircraft," Struble said. "It's nasty country up there with 60 percent slopes and decomposed granite, so they have to be careful."

The fire poses no immediate danger to structures, however crews are concerned about homes located about a mile-and-a-half down the slope to the east of the blaze.

Foothill Road, also called State Route 206, is closed to non-local traffic between Centerville Road and Fredricksburg Road. The Faye-Luther Trailhead is also closed to the public and is being used as a helispot.

The Olinghouse Fire, located at Interstate 80 and Tracey Clark, south of the Truckee River has burned about 3,000 acres and was 60 percent contained Saturday evening. Officials estimate the fire will be contained by 6 p.m. Monday.

The fire was started by three separate lightning strikes that soon collided into one large fire.

Nevada Division of Forestry crews are using two single-engine air tankers and one heavy airtanker that is being shared with the Faye-Luther Fire, one helicopter, 10 hand crews, 10 engines, water tenders and four bulldozers to contain the fire. Struble reports that about 130 people from four agencies are involved in fighting the blaze.

The Olinghouse Fire is burning on private lands and is not threatening structures, according to Struble. The fire has closed USA Parkway for safety concerns.

The Boomtown fire, west of Reno, was reported as contained at 9 p.m. Friday night after having burned a total of 40 acres. The fire caused no damage to structures before containment.

• Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.