Evening brush fire in Carson City quickly put out

A spark from a utility pole started a small brush fire on Bigelow Drive near Clearview Drive in South Carson City shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday.

Firefighters responded immediately and put out the brush fire within minutes, according to Assistant Chief Fire Marshal Bruce Van Cleemput.

"It was very small and they were able to take care of it," he said.

He said that firefighters in Douglas County were dispatched to a reported pole fire down there about the same time that his fire crews headed out.

"I don't know if this had anything to do down the line in Douglas County," he said. "But it's very possible. There was a small power surge. The power went out very briefly."

According to Karl Walquist, spokesperson for Sierra Pacific, there were no calls to the company about a pole fire in Douglas.

"There's been no word about that," he said. "I'm sure we would've heard something."

He confirmed there was a brush fire at the Bigelow site and that there was an eye-witness report.

"Some person out there thought there was a spark come off the line," he said.

No equipment was damaged and the fire was put out, he said. He had not received any reports of a power outage.

- Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.