Coleville-area fires burn 2,116 acres

Fanned by gusting winds, three fires had burned more than 2,000 acres along the Eastern Sierra by Sunday. Firefighters faced sustained winds of 3 to 10 mph Sunday with down-canyon gusts up to 40 mph.

The largest of the three blazes, called the Dana Fire, is about 2,116 acres. It was considered about 45 percent contained Sunday night, thanks to higher humidity and cooler temperatures.

The Cole Complex was caused by lightning either Thursday or Friday. Other fires in the group include the 63-acre Cole Fire, now considered 90 percent contained, and the nine-acre Post Fire, now 100 percent contained.

Authorities estimate about 400 personnel are fighting the fires. Among the resources assigned are seven hot-shot crews, six hand crews, eight helicopters, five single-engine air tankers, seven fire engines, one water tender and two bulldozers.

The Cole Complex is burning grass, sagebrush and pine trees between Coleville, Calif., and the Monitor Junction of Highways 89 and 395.

Highway 395 is open, but motorist are urged to use caution. There is the potential for heavy smoke over the highway and emergency vehicle traffic. The fire shut down the highway from the Nevada line to Bridgeport Friday night, but it reopened Saturday morning.

No structures were immediately threatened. If conditions change, flames could pose a threat to a Marine Corps housing complex north of Coleville.

The housing is for the families of Marines at the nearby Mountain Warfare Training Center in Pickel Meadows near Sonora Pass.

Other structures in danger include power lines leading to the Topaz Lake area and Walker, Calif., and homes along Highway 395 near Topaz.

No evacuations had been called for by Sunday.

The fires are threatening the Slinkard Creek Watershed, critical habitat for Lahontan cutthroat trout and mule deer.

There was no estimated containment time for the blaze burning in brush and piñon-juniper forests.