Growth of wildfire in Spring Mountains derails containment efforts

By Jackie Valley

Wednesday, July 13, 2011 | 8:46 a.m.

A wildfire’s expansion Tuesday in the Spring Mountains west of the Las Vegas Valley derailed efforts to fully contain the blaze, which spread to 45 acres, officials said.

Officials deemed the fire, located about three miles northwest of the Las Vegas Beltway and Summerlin Parkway interchange, 100 percent contained early Tuesday, but the fire later broke through the containment, officials said. Wind was a factor in the fire’s spread.

The increase of acres burning caused containment to drop to 60 percent, according to the Bureau of Land Management. Firefighting crews worked through the night to continue building containment lines and control the wildfire.

A Kern Valley hotshot crew is arriving today to help the firefighting efforts, officials said.

Firefighters do not expect as many wind-related problems today, but they have not estimated when the wildfire will be fully contained once again, authorities said.

The blaze, which officials have named the La Madre fire, is within the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. It's in a remote location and not threatening any structures. Investigators have not determined the wildfire’s cause.