Red Rock Canyon loop road may remain closed for another week

Monday, July 25, 2005 | 11:10 a.m.

Federal fire officials said it could be a week before the Red Rock Canyon loop road reopens after flames burned almost 900 acres from a lightning-caused fire on Friday.

There were no new wildfires reported on Sunday after thunderstorms brought heavy rains to Southern Nevada during the early-morning hours.

Lightning sparked the Red Rock blaze before noon Friday inside the scenic red sandstone attraction.

The Red Rock Visitors Center was evacuated, and the 13-mile-long scenic loop drive was closed as flames from the fire burned less than a mile from the visitor's center, said Kirsten Cannon, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Land Management.

Investigators will survey natural resources, such as desert tortoise habitat and rare plants this week.

Winds up to 50 mph drove the flames for five hours. The fire jumped across the loop road in several places. Crews had the fire under control by about 4:30 p.m. Friday. Red brome, cheatgrass, creosote bushes and juniper trees added fuel for the fire after heavier-than-normal spring rains.

Authorities issued a voluntary evacuation order for Calico Basin's 25 ranch homes on Friday.

No one was injured in the fire.

The Loop fire was contained by noon on Saturday, said Beth Short, U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman.

The Red Rock Visitors Center was reopened this morning, Cannon said.

But the loop drive will remain closed while firefighters continue to mop up after the blaze that blew in several directions as winds shifted Friday afternoon.

State Route 159, the highway that travels the length of Red Rock Canyon, linking West Charleston Boulevard with State Route 160, was also closed while nearly 200 firefighters battled the Red Rock blaze. It reopened on Saturday.

A 100-acre fire in Trout Canyon on the west side of the Spring Mountains was not active late Sunday, Short said.

A fire reported near the Girl Scout camp on Deer Creek Road in the Mount Charleston area had been confined to one-tenth of an acre and was fully contained and controlled Sunday, Short said.

A second Trout Canyon fire burning 20 acres had also been fully contained by late Saturday, Short said.

Fire crews stayed at each fire scene to watch for hot spots.