Fire burns 200 acres near Virginia City

A fire in Six Mile Canyon east of Virginia City had burned about 200 acres on Flowery Peak by 7:30 p.m. Tuesday but was not threatening town.

The fire began adjacent to the city's sewer treatment plant and was reported about 4:45 p.m. It was burning in sagebrush away from the plant and the historic mining town.

Winds of 15-25 mph were moving the fire up Flowery Peak, but no structures were threatened and no injuries reported.

"We sent a lot of resources that way, a lot of aircraft," said Christie Kalkowski, public affairs officer for the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

A hand crew pulled from the Robb fire west of Reno and a hot-shot crew from the Tahoe National Forest joined the Storey County paid and volunteer fire departments, the Bureau of Land Management and the Nevada Department of Forestry.

In all, 15 engines - including 10 Type III engines carrying 500 gallons of water each - a water tender, helicopter, two single-engine air tankers, a lead plane, a heavy air tanker and two bulldozers were fighting the Six Mile fire.

Kalkowski said the fire was fanned by afternoon winds, growing 10 acres at 5:10 p.m. to 30 acres, including a 15-acre spot fire northeast across the canyon on Flowery Peak. By 6:40 p.m. fire officials reported a 100-acre fire, and that grew another 100 acres by 7:30 p.m.

No injuries were reported as of 8 p.m.

The weather forecast for Tuesday night called for winds up to 25 mph and temperatures in the mid 50s to 60s

Kalkowski said two weeks ago a fire caused by shooting practice started nearby.

West of Reno, the Robb fire burning since Monday afternoon was 2,196 acres at 8 p.m. Officials expected 90 percent containment by 8 a.m. and control by 8 p.m. Thursday.

Cost of the fire burning in brush and grass on Peavine Mountain was $280,000.

The fire was creeping with occasional flare ups and minimal spread on Tuesday and had climbed 7,800 up Peavine. About 337 firefighters fought the blaze Tuesday night.

No structures were burned, no one was evacuated and no injuries had been reported.

Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch