Firefighters Battle Three Major Blazes in Nevada

More than 400 firefighters battled a blaze that charred 10,000 acres of sagebrush and pines, burned within half a mile of a major highway and sent a large column of smoke billowing into the sky Saturday just east of Reno.

Other fires had blackened 32,000 acres in the state’s northeast corner and 17,000 acres near the Fallon Naval Air Station.

The Reno area fire was estimated to be 50% contained at one point, but officials dropped that figure to 35% later in the day after the flames crossed a ridge and burned closer to Interstate 80.

The highway remained open, but authorities warned motorists to watch for fire equipment driving through the area.

The fire started Friday, and the cause is under investigation.

Firefighters were confident that the Truckee River along the south side of I-80 would keep the fire from jumping the highway. No buildings were threatened.

The fire 30 miles southeast of Fallon, a town 60 miles east of Reno, was about 50% contained Saturday, said federal fire command post spokeswoman Heidi Netzler.

That blaze was started Thursday by bombs that Navy planes dropped on a training range at the air station.

Crews were also at work Saturday battling a blaze that had burned 32,000 acres in the sparsely settled northeast corner of Nevada and into Utah.

Meanwhile, in California, firefighters estimated that they had a northern Santa Barbara County wildfire about 60% surrounded, with full containment expected this evening, said county fire Capt. Charlie Johnson.

About 1,800 firefighters worked on the 6-day-old blaze Saturday, contending with erratic winds and temperatures in the 90s.