TO UPDATE (Sunday) – The Bureau of Land Management said Sunday that the Sandy Valley Fire containment, southwest of Las Vegas, was up to 90%.
“Winds up to 35 mph today tested containment lines and they held, which makes us optimistic we are heading for higher temperatures this week,” said Tyler Hecht, BLM fire management officer for Southern Nevada, in a media statement on Sunday evening. “This enabled us to start making firefighters available for other fire-fighting operations.”
Target shooting was identified as the cause of the fire.
Nearly two-thirds of the fires on BLM land were man-made, they said, and of that 27% were target shooting.
The original report continues below.
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) – Bureau of Land Management officials said the Sandy Valley Fire was mapped over 1,380 acres on Saturday.
The fire was started on the afternoon of June 10th during target shooting in a desert area southwest of the Las Vegas Valley. The fire was contained to 60% on Saturday evening, announced BLM. Almost 200 firefighters were on duty.
On Saturday, a BLM spokesman said firefighters were using helicopters to bring crews to “helispots in the higher parts of the fire to begin securing the fire line in the east and accessing the north and south sides of the fire.”
The crews also worked to secure a line of fire on the west side of the fire in the Potosi Pass area. In the afternoon, Sandy Valley Road and Potosi Pass Road reopened.
“As we head towards hotter temperatures this week, please remember to responsibly enjoy your public land and comply with fire restrictions,” said Tyler Hecht, BLM Southern Nevada District Fire Management Officer, in a written statement. “If you are planning on target shooting, please do not shoot into rocks or metal objects and place targets in areas with no vegetation. Always have water, a shovel, and a fire extinguisher ready in case a fire starts. Exploding targets and steel core ammunition are illegal on BLM-managed public properties in southern Nevada as they are known as fire starters. “
The fire was reported on June 10 at 1:34 p.m. about three kilometers west of SR 160 on Sandy Valley Road. No injuries were reported.
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