BATTLE MOUNTAIN - Since June 28, the Bureau of Land Management, Battle Mountain District, has responded to four wildland fires. Two lightning caused fires were contained and controlled during initial attack and one lightning and one human caused fire were contained and controlled during extended attack.
The Willow Creek Fire was a human caused wildland fire (still under investigation) that started on the afternoon of June 29. The fire was located approximately 35 miles south of Eureka in Nye County on the east side of the Antelope Range.
A heavy initial attack response was initiated by the BLM and Eureka County. The fire exhibited extreme behavior in pinyon-juniper and rugged terrain which hampered control efforts.
The fire was managed as a unified command with Lander County as a Type 3 command level, and had multiple engines, hand crews, fire dozers, helicopters and aircraft assigned to it.
The fire burned on BLM administered lands and threatened the Indian Creek and Snowball Ranches; however no structures were lost or damaged.
BLM and Eureka County resources worked cooperatively to protect the structures at the Indian Creek Ranch. The fire also threatened the Antelope Range Wilderness Study Area and important sage-grouse habitat.
It was contained on July 1 and controlled on July 4 at 4,131 acres. As of July 10, the fire was in patrol status.
The Goat Peak Fire was a lightning caused wildland fire that started on the afternoon of June 30. The fire was located approximately 25 miles south of Battle Mountain in Lander County on the west side of the Shoshone Range.
A heavy initial attack response was initiated by the BLM and Lander County. The fire exhibited extreme behavior in pinyon-juniper and rugged terrain which hampered control efforts.
It was managed at the Type 3 command level, with a BLM Type 3 Incident Command and Lander County Sheriff Ron Unger. The fire had multiple engines, hand crews, fire dozers, helicopters and aircraft assigned to it.
It burned on BLM administered lands and private lands within Lander County. Several historical primary and secondary structures were destroyed or damaged.
Efforts to protect these structures were hampered by a lack of resources, extreme fire behavior and limited access. The fire also threatened other private property in the area along with important sage-grouse habitat.
It received rain on July 4, which aided fire suppression efforts. The fire was 100 percent contained on July 6 and was controlled on July 9. There were 2,001 acres burned in the Goat Peak Fire.
The BLM strongly encourages the public to continue to be "fire wise" when out on their public lands. Please ensure campfires are not left unattended, and are completely out and cold when you depart your camping area.
While recent rains have aided the recent fire suppression efforts, the fire danger remains at very high based on current and expected fuel and weather conditions.
For further information, call Dorothy Harvey, fire information officer, at (775) 635-4040.
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