Las Vegas: Wildfire grows, air quality advisory still in effect

The wildfire raging in the Spring Mountains, a popular recreational area northwest of Las Vegas, grew to 19,800 acres Tuesday afternoon, although air quality in the Las Vegas Valley has not worsened, officials said.

An air quality advisory remains in effect through Sunday. At-risk individuals, such as children, the elderly and people with respiratory ailments, are urged to stay indoors.

The fire, dubbed Carpenter 1, has grown about 30% since Monday, when it had consumed 15,200 acres.

“The fire acreage has increased due to active burning on the east (Las Vegas) side of the fire and burn operations by crews in the field,” according to the Incident Information Service website. “The fire is moving into lighter terrain and fuels, which will allow firefighters to make a more practicable direct attack in this location.”

The blaze, started by lightning on July 1, is not expected to be fully contained until July 19. No firefighters have been injured and no structures have been destroyed.

The wildfire is, however, within one-quarter mile of the evacuated Rainbow subdivision on Mt. Charleston. The Incident Information Service said “strategic burnout operations” are planned in an effort to keep the fire from reaching those homes.

Firefighters continued their work to keep the blaze from dropping into Kyle Canyon, another mountainous community about 30 miles northwest of the Strip. Tuesday afternoon’s update said the air resources assigned to the fire were concentrated in this area.

Large plumes of smoke continue to blow northeastward away from Southern Nevada’s resort corridors. That “directional flow” will keep pollution along the Strip and in downtown Las Vegas in the “moderate” range the rest of this week, according to the forecast issued by the Clark County (NV) Department of Air Quality.

Tourists cannot access various recreational areas in the Spring Mountains. Both of the state highways that climb the mountainside are closed at their junctions with U.S. 95.

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