Though it paled in comparison to the China Spring fire 25 miles to the south, a fire at the Carson City dump and surrounding hillside Tuesday afternoon garnered the attention of area firefighters.
Approximately five acres of Bureau of Land Management land burned when the blaze, which originated in the landfill, spread east past a canyon and onto the next hillside.
Though an investigation is pending, Sierra Front Coordinator Ronna Hubbard said lightning is suspected. Lightning strikes on Monday evening may have started embers that accelerated Tuesday afternoon.
"Last night we had some lightning activity and a few problems out there," she said. "That fire could have started a long time ago."
Firefighters from the BLM, the Central Lyon County Fire District, Carson City Fire Department, Nevada Division of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service converged at the public landfill, off Flint Drive, at 1:55 p.m.
No structures were damaged or threatened and no injuries were recorded.
In addition to the ground units, two BLM-contracted air tankers and a helicopter dropped fire retardant and water on the scorched earth.
Combined, fires at the landfill and China Spring necessitated approximately 300 personnel to maintain control.
Tuesday evening, crews were still attacking the China Spring fire.
