Arson may be behind Reno fire

Friday, Aug. 9, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

"We had 100 percent containment at about noon with control expected by 6 p.m. Saturday," fire spokesman Peter Soeth said on Thursday.

Officials, meanwhile, were considering arson as the cause of the blaze that narrowly spared expensive homes.

"We strongly suspect that the fire was intentionally set, but we have not ruled out all possible potential causes of ignition," deputy State Forester Otis Turner said on Wednesday. "But there was no campfire and there was no equipment working in the area."

Turner said one man being sought as the primary target of the investigation is believed to be wanted on an unrelated warrant. Turner would not elaborate.

The fire broke out Monday on the western outskirts of Reno, charring 3,500 acres in its first few hours. The assault slowed it dramatically just 24 hours later.

About 1,200 firefighters armed with picks and shovels worked the fire lines on Wednesday in steep terrain while air tankers and helicopters battled the blaze from the air.

"We started releasing people this morning," Soeth said on Thursday. "There probably will be more releases tomorrow."

The blaze destroyed one barn, damaged two homes and forced hundreds to flee on Monday before turning toward the Mount Rose Wilderness Area and away from residential neighborhoods the next day.

The cost of fighting the fire is expected to top $1.15 million. Total damage to the homes still is being tallied up.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has authorized federal funds to pay 70 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs.