Pahrump blaze nearly contained

Friday, May 16, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

A wildfire that started from a lightning strike 20 miles east of Pahrump, burning 600 acres, was expected to be contained by tonight, the U.S. Forest Service said.

The blaze, which began over the weekend from lightning striking in Wheeler's Pass in the Spring Mountains, was 50 percent contained this morning, said Dee Gardner, a public affairs officer for the Forest Service. More than 200 firefighters from Nevada, California and Arizona have been fighting the fire, digging around it to contain it.

"The wind is in their favor today," Gardner said. "It hasn't spread. The firefighters made great progress last night."

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