Public urged to stay away to let burned forest rebound

Thursday, June 24, 2004 | 8:56 a.m.

A wildland fire that destroyed 8,404 acres of forests and desert brush was fully contained Wednesday, but officials are keeping people away because it will take time for the Virgin Mountains to start coming back to life.

Recreation in the mountains, such as picnics and camping, will not be allowed until after July 12, Bureau of Land Management spokeswoman Suzanne Moore said Wednesday.

The blaze, sparked by a lightning bolt on June 16, was declared contained at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Bureau of Land Management spokeswoman Dorothy Harvey said. Firefighters dug trenches around the fire by hand to stop the spread of flames fanned by typical desert winds.

A total of 474 firefighters from federal, state and local agencies battled the fire in the past week.

Flames roared through a wilderness study area, but did not threaten structures or homes in Bunkerville, a Mormon pioneer town about eight miles away.

"There were no injuries among firefighters or civilian volunteers during the weeklong battle in the rugged terrain. Firefighters drove for more than an hour, then had to walk an hour or more to reach the fire line over the weekend.

All public lands in Clark County were placed on fire alert June 15 as the drought in the West dragged into the summer, Wandell said.

One reason the area will remain is to avoid dangers from another fire starting in the range. The risk of a man-made source of fire igniting another wildland fire is high, he said.

"What did not burn is now very dry," Wandell said. "What's left is a tinder box."

So open flames, cigarettes, cigars, pipes, a spark from a catalytic converter, fireworks or a campfire sing-a-long could get another fire raging. Additionally, off-road vehicles could carve tracks that could lead to further soil erosion, Wandell said.

But mountainsides blackened with ash may recover if left alone.

If the Southwestern monsoon brings another summer thunderstorm to Southern Nevada, the ash will release nutrients into the soil and help new seedlings sprout, Wandell said.

Because the scorched area is about 25 miles away from Lake Mead, the ash and carbon do not pose threats to the lake, the source of 90 percent of the drinking water for the Las Vegas Valley, Wandell said.

Even if a sudden shower pounded the mountains, "it's not like a California mudslide," he said. "The black ash won't go much further than where it is. It's definitely not a threat to Lake Mead."

The wildland fire offered another benefit to the Virgin Mountains' forests. Fire spurs the growth of new pinyon and juniper trees, as well as manzanitas and chaparral bushes, Wandell said.

With enough time and enough rainfall, the mountains can restore growing plants and trees. Grasses and bushes take years to return, and trees take decades to grow.