Firefighters continue battle; fearful of winds

COLD CREEK, Nev. - Residents of this rustic hamlet were breathing easier Tuesday as firefighters moved closer to containing a blaze that has blackened more than 2,000 acres.

There were some anxious moments Monday evening when the raging fire topped 9,800-foot Wheeler Peak and moved to the east side of the mountain, which towers over this remote community 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

''When it reached the top of the peak, folks got a little nervous,'' Terry Myers, chief of the town's volunteer fire department, said as a giant helicopter swept overhead, delivering a load of water to help douse the flames.

The Buck Springs Fire broke out Saturday, possibly sparked by campers in the remote Spring Mountain National Recreation Area. Firefighters thought they had the wildfire contained until winds breathed new life into the blaze on Sunday.

No injuries were reported and no structures have been damaged by the blaze.

Incident commander Tooter Burdick, of the Bureau of Land Management in Ely, Nev., said the fire was 50 percent contained at midday Tuesday. He expected his force of firefighters from eight western states to reach about 70 percent containment by Tuesday night as they worked their way up the mountain.

''They're now getting into the steeper slopes and that will be slower, like walking up a cow's face,'' Burdick said.

The 660 firefighters on the fire line were from Nevada, California, Arizona, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and New Mexico, he said.

Burdick predicted full containment by Thursday.

The fire had stayed on the west side of the mountain until it reached the peak Monday evening, sparking concern among local residents.

Myers said the 15 members of Cold Creek fire department stood by with their equipment in case the fire made its way four miles down the mountain and into the tiny town. Cold Creek is comprised of some 90 homes, many of them weekend getaways for Las Vegas residents.

''There was so much smoke,'' Myers said of the fire's spread Monday evening. ''You couldn't see the sun; it was like an eclipse. And ashes were dropping all over the place. That makes people nervous.''

On Tuesday, Burdick released six tanker aircraft and two helicopters that were ferrying water to the sprawling blaze because he felt confident containment was near.

As Burdick gave his assessment, a giant Sikorsky helicopter swooped down to a small lake nearby, sucking 1,100 gallons of water into tanks through a long snorkel. The helicopter then swept cross the tiny community and up over the mountain, where it was directed to a drop zone by an air boss. The helicopter was back minutes later to repeat the process.

One concern Tuesday was that afternoon winds would again spread the flames, as was the case Sunday and Monday. Winds gusting to 25 mph were predicted.

More wildfires are likely across Nevada this summer, with a dry season in the forecast, Burdick said.

''As the summer progresses, it gets drier and drier moving northward to areas like Ely and Elko,'' Burdick said.