RENO, Nev. — 12:35 p.m.
A wind-whipped brush fire that has consumed more than 185 square miles of rangeland in north-central Nevada has burned within a few hundred yards of some ranch homes, but so far there are no reports of injuries or structure damage.
Bureau of Land Management spokesman Rudy Evenson told The Associated Press on Monday that more than 250 firefighters are on the scene and more are on the way to the area near the town of Midas, about 35 miles north of Battle Mountain and 50 miles south of the Idaho line.
Evenson says no evacuations have been ordered but a Red Cross shelter has been set up at the junior high in Winnemucca to accommodate anyone who decides to flee the area voluntarily.
The lightning-sparked blaze started about 3 p.m. Saturday and more than doubled in size Sunday.
Evenson says fire crews made some progress overnight but remain concerned about high winds.
The fire’s estimated to be only 5 percent contained, with full containment projected more than a week away.
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10:30 a.m.
More than 250 firefighters are now on the scene of a raging wildfire in north-central Nevada that’s burned an estimated 185 square miles of grass and brush and is threatening several ranches north of the town of Midas.
The National Interagency Fire Center reports the lightning-sparked blaze started about 3 p.m. Saturday and more than doubled in size on Sunday.
Fire officials said Monday four heavy air tankers and a dozen single-engine tankers were helping ground crews fight the wind-driven flames about 35 miles north of Battle Mountain, 50 miles south of the Idaho line.
BLM District Manager Jill Silvey says in addition to several ranches, the fire’s threatening sage grouse habitat and a number of mining structures in the area.
It’s currently estimated to be about 5 percent containment. Full containment may not come for a week.