Fires continue to attack Carson Country

Fires continued to blacken patches throughout Carson City on Thursday as firefighters battled through a third day of lightning-induced blazes.

North of Reno, however, blazes that had consumed more than 12,000 acres were still burning. There were no reports of injuries or damage to homes.

Firefighters were sent to King's Canyon west of Carson City at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday when dispatchers were deluged with calls reporting smoke.

Although the fire was easily visible throughout Carson City, there was little chance for firetrucks to drive to the site, said Bureau of Land Management spokesman Mark Struble.

The fire was contained when six U.S. Forest Service smoke jumpers parachuted to the hillside and cut a fire line around the blaze. They were helped by contracted airplanes dropping fire-retardant liquid.

"They really bombed that one," Struble said. The fire was under control and close to extinguished by 2:30 p.m.

At the same time a fire above Lakeview Road consumed a large tree. It was also contained about 2:30 p.m. with the help of two smoke jumpers and bombing with fire retardant.

A third fire in Ash Canyon was burning late afternoon near the peak of the mountain. Carson City dispatchers relinquished control of the fire to the Minden Interagency Dispatch when it was realized that firefighters would have difficulty finding an approach route.

Though a few lightning strikes did occur in Carson, Wednesday proved to be much less fire-prone than Tuesday's afternoon deluge.

"We have been very lucky today," Struble said. "Not too many acres were lost."

In Douglas County, a fire near China Spring has been under control since 6 p.m. Tuesday. At last count, 554 acres burned near the juvenile detention facility.

The fire burned 10 mile southeast of Gardnerville and was put down using local, state and federal fire agencies. Fire retardant bombers were used in the effort.

In Reno, skies stayed smoky Thursday as firefighters battled lightning-caused wildland fires that had blackened more than 12,000 acres.

Struble said the top priorities were separate 5,000-acre and 7,000-acre brush fires that burned within 200 feet of homes Wednesday night 15 miles north of Reno.

No homes were threatened Thursday, but firefighters sought to gain the upper hand on the blazes before another round of thunderstorms forecast later in the week, he said.

The fires in Hungry and Antelope valleys were among about a half dozen still burning out of control in the Reno area after starting late Wednesday afternoon.

Struble said initial reports were incorrect that the Hungry and Antelope valley fires merged overnight.

''Things are going fair on them, but we have to see how things go later on,'' Struble said. ''We're nervous about the chance for more thunderstorms. We'll have to see what the winds dish up.''

Fire officials said the Hungry Valley fire was 50 percent contained, but were unsure about containment of the Antelope Valley blaze.

An undetermined number of residents were advised to leave their homes Wednesday night, but most chose to remain.

''When the fires broke out, people started packing stuff and running around like crazy,'' resident Viola Gomez told KOLO television in Reno.

It was the second time in two years that wild fires threatened their homes.

Several smaller fires continued to send up smoke plumes that could be seen throughout the Reno area.

Among them were blazes in the Truckee River Canyon and in the Pah Rah Mountains just east of Sparks.

A fire on Peavine Mountain just west of Reno blackened 750 acres before being contained Thursday morning.