Fire burns about 9,000 acres near historic mining town

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Friday, July 9, 1999 | 6:52 a.m.

The fire threatened structures in the historic town and at nearby ranches, but no buildings were damaged, said John Noneman, U.S. Bureau of Land Management fire information officer in Winnemucca.

The blaze was 35 percent contained on Friday with full containment estimated by 9 p.m. Saturday. It started about 3 p.m. on Thursday.

High temperatures, high winds, remote location and abundant fuel have hampered efforts to control the fire, Noneman said.

Firefighters manning seven BLM engines, two U.S. Forest Service engines, four engines from the Golconda Volunteer Fire Department, three Nevada Division of Forestry engines, an Elko Fire Department engine, three bulldozers, a helicopter and three air tankers have been used to fight the fire.

Two "hot shot" crews from Carson City and New Mexico and a 12-man crew of smoke jumpers, who were trucked in, also are in the fight.

He said the fire began along the road to Midas from Tuscarora and was caused by man.