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Kingsbury fire burning near highway

Staff Reports
Shannon Litz

A 15-acre wildfire burning above Carson Valley is burning very close to Kingbury Grade, according to Douglas County Sheriff Ron Pierini.

The fire is burning in sagebrush, grasses and some pine trees, Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Spokesman Mark Struble said.

“The worry is, obviously, if it starts across the highway, that means it would head right toward Sheridan,” Pierini said.



The sheriff said Douglas Search and Rescue was on scene ready to implement emergency procedures if necessary.

He said there were big water trucks in the area, but most of the work was being done by ground crews with hand shovels.



“It’s pretty serious right now,” Pierini said in an phone interview shortly before 5 p.m.

Speculation was the fire could have started from a lightning strike over the weekend that smoldered undetected, the sheriff said. The cause is under investigation.

Two handcrews, 12 engines and 81 firefighters are battling the wildfire, according to information issued by the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch.

Downslope winds are driving the fire northeast toward Genoa. No structures are threatened by the fire.

“Aircraft grounded for now due to extremely high winds of 50-plus mph,” Stuble said. “Red Flag conditions are expected through this 8 p.m.”

A small brush fire was reported at 5:10 p.m. in Indian Hills near Mica and Vista Grande.


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