Thunderstorms could bring wildland fires

Thunderstorms forecast for this week pose the possibility of a repeat of last weekend's wildland fires east of Carson Valley.

Set Friday by a thunderstorm traveling north along the eastern Douglas County line, the Pine Nuts and Boulder fires kept nearly 300 firefighters busy through the weekend.

Topaz Ranch Estates residents were able to watch the smoke from the 146-acre Boulder fire as it burned in the Wellington Hills.

A fast moving grass fire, the Boulder fire grew from 30 acres to its full size in a few hours on Friday, a testament to how dry fuels are in the region. On Tuesday morning firefighters reported a 92 percent chance of ignition.

Helicopters flew out of Rosachi Airport in Smith Valley and seven air tankers aided ground crews in stopping the fire from burning down the canyon to about a dozen homes west of the highway along Desert Creek Road.

Units from the Bureau of Land Management, Nevada Division of Forestry, East Fork Fire District and the Mason Valley Fire Protection District fought the fire.

Complicating the fight against the Boulder fire was the 88-acre Pine Nuts fire that sent a plume of smoke above Carson Valley on Friday afternoon. The fire on Mineral Peak, nine miles east of Johnson Lane, was set by lightning.

About 90 firefighters, including four hand crews, four engines, a helicopter and a water tender battled the blaze to a standstill on Saturday.

The National Weather Service is predicting isolated thunderstorms through Thursday night.

Fire restrictions went into effect for state and federal lands in the Sierra Front on Friday.