Comments sought on Prison Hill fire facility

Nevada Appeal Staff Report

Public comment is sought through June 29 on an environmental assessment report for the construction of a new interagency fire facility on eight acres of public land at the base of Prison Hill, just east of the intersection of South Edmonds Drive and Koontz Lane.

The new Bureau of Land Management complex would include office and support buildings for BLM wildland fire engines and seasonal housing for both BLM and Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest-Carson Ranger District fire fighting personnel.

This includes cooking, shower and bunk facilities sufficient to meet the needs of up to 20 federal firefighters.

The purpose of the proposed fire facility is to enhance federal fire fighting capacity locally, regionally and nationally, according to a BLM news release.

Wildland firefighting is seasonal and temporary by nature and employees are hired in the spring and terminated in the fall.

"It is very difficult to recruit employees to work for five months, a typical fire season, from outside the commuting area without being able to provide affordable seasonal housing," the release states. "Having this facility available would aid in the recruitment and retention of highly qualified firefighters who currently find it difficult to find summer housing in the area."