Tuesday morning, the Goose Fire was listed as 30% contained.
Advertisement
But fire lines set overnight and low winds Monday are helping to slow the fire’s progression, said Randall Rishe, a spokesman with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. There were no reported injuries or fire damages.
Almost 1,500 firefighters are battling the blaze burning timber in rugged terrain.
The burn scar had grown to 44,300 acres – larger than the city of San Francisco – and was visible from space as heavy smoke billowed from the mountainous landscape of California’s picturesque Central Coast.
In California’s Central Valley, crews got a lot more control over a stubborn wildfire that has destroyed three homes and is threatening another 400 northeast of Fresno. It was less than 18 percent contained Tuesday.
About 800 firefighters were battling a series of fires that had threatened a tribal town and hamlets near Pyramid Lake, north of Reno.
The National Interagency Fire Center’s monthly outlook, released Monday, says the the potential for big fires will remain above normal during August in parts of California, Idaho, Nevada and Utah because of dry grass and bushes.
The eight-square-kilometre blaze started Saturday and quickly spread through steep, rugged terrain covered with dry vegetation and dead trees.
Pyramid Lake, about 40 miles north of Reno, remained closed so aircraft can use it to scoop water to fight the fires, said Scott Carey, business manager for the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe.
The fire grew from 5 acres to an estimated 500 acres in a little over two hours.
Officials with the American Red Cross said they would open an emergency evacuation shelter at the Grant County Fairgrounds at 8 p.m.
In Bridger-Teton National Forest, a fire that has burned about 46 square miles was 84 percent contained.
It prompted an evacuation of Canyon Creek Resort and Golden Bear Estates in Winters, fire officials said.
Evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes northwest of Dubois as progress was made against a wildfire.
By Wednesday morning, authorities say crews had gained some containment of the fire.
The size of the fire was scaled back slightly from the 78 square miles reported Monday.
Another, farther north near Poodle Mountain, was 80 percent contained but has burned about 10 square miles in a wilderness study area.
Firefighters are setting up sprinkler systems to protect buildings in a central Idaho town after a wildfire expanded to 75 square miles.
Advertisement
Residents of about 30 homes in Cottonwood Creek and Fish Springs Ranch were warned they would receive 30 minutes notice to evacuate if necessary.
