Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
RENO, Nev. (AP) — The Latest on the wildfires burning north of Reno (all times local PDT):
5:25 p.m.
Nearly 200 firefighters with air support in Nevada have turned back the immediate threat to homes 30 miles north of Reno where a series of lightning-sparked wildfires prompted voluntary evacuations.
Fire officials said Friday evening the biggest of the blazes dubbed the "Rock Fire" has burned about 2 square miles in the Red Rock area but is now 50 percent contained and should be fully contained Monday.
Interagency fire spokesman Mark Struble says as many as 500 residences could potentially be threatened if the fire flares up again north of Stead and east of U.S. Highway 395, but that's a worst-case scenario. No homes currently face any immediate danger.
Another trio of fires called the Virginia Mountain Complex near the Nevada line east of Doyle, California has burned about 15 square miles of mostly grass and sagebrush. No structures have been damaged or injuries reported.
___
10:20 a.m.
More than 200 firefighters are battling the largest of a series of lightning-sparked fires north of Reno that are threatening dozens of homes and prompted some voluntary evacuations.
Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District spokeswoman Erin Holland said Friday about 40 structures remain threatened in the Red Rock area north of Reno and east of U.S. Highway 395 north of Stead. She says there have no reports so far of any injuries or any structures damaged by the fire that has burned about 3 square miles of grass and brush.
Dozens of residents voluntarily evacuated to a Red Cross Shelter set up at O'Brien Middle School in Stead after dry lightning started the fire about 7 p.m. Thursday. A spokesman at the school said they all had left by midmorning Friday.
Holland says cool weather helped crews make progress on the blaze overnight. But they're concerned about winds picking up this afternoon with temperatures expected in excess of 100 degrees.
___
8:30 a.m.
Authorities say homes threatened by a wildfire caused by lightning strikes north of Reno are being evacuated.
A shelter has been set up for up to 400 people at a middle school while large animals are being relocated to Reno Livestock Events Center.
The fire started Thursday and has burned less than 3 square miles of public land.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
