Monday afternoon update:
Law enforcement has confirmed one fatality in an aircraft crash that is believed to have caused a fire burning near Mount Rose ski resort.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office HASTY team removed the remains of an individual Monday, a day after an aircraft crashed near Mount Rose Ski Tahoe and a wildfire erupted.
The sheriff’s office is not ruling out the possibility of additional fatalities, according to Bob Harmon, public information officer for the sheriff’s office.
The medical examiner’s office is conducting an investigation into the fatality.
Detectives say there are no signs of anything suspicious.
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Monday morning update:
The Slide Fire is now 80 acres and 10 percent contained. It is burning in timber and brush and in extremely rough steep terrain. Today, firefighters continue to secure and reinforce containment lines, said Slide Fire Information Officer Erica Hupp in a news release.
"For the next several days, the public will see occasional smoke from flare up of fuels burning out. The fire’s interior has pockets of excessive brush and timber. These flare ups are well within containment lines. Please do not report them as firefighters are on scene and working them," Hupp said.
There is a total of 160 personnel on the Slide Fire. Resources include eight engines, four hand crews, four helicopters, and numerous overhead. Additional air resource will be used if needed.
The Slide Fire was reported around 2:15 p.m. on Sept. 2 on the Carson Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The fire is one mile southeast of the Winter Creek Lodge in the Slide Bowl area of the Mt. Rose Ski Resort near Reno, Nevada. No structures are currently threatened, including the Slide Mountain communication site.
Recreationists are asked to still stay out of the Brown’s Creek and Davis Creek areas. North Washoe Valley Road (Old U.S. Route 395A) has been reopened.
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The 40-acre Slide Mountain fire burned overnight in steep terrain on the Carson Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.
The fire was reported at about 2:15 p.m. Sunday.
"The specific cause of the fire is under investigation, but Ian Gregor, Public Affairs Manager with the Federal Aviation Administration, said in an email that an unidentified aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances in the area where the fire occurred," said Slide Fire Information Officer Erica Hupp in a news release.
As of Sunday night, Hupp said there were 10 engines, four helicopters, two scoopers, four air tankers, and two Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATS) fighting the fire. More resources are on order including four hand crews.
Firefighting supplies and resources are being flown to the fire due to the terrain being extremely steep and rugged. No strong winds are expected on the fire in the next couple of days.
The fire is one mile southeast of the Winter Creek Lodge in the Slide Bowl area of the Mt. Rose Ski Resort near Reno, Nevada. No structures are currently threatened, including the Slide Mountain communication site.
Recreationists are asked to stay out of the Brown’s Creek and Davis Creek areas. North Washoe Valley Road (Old U.S. Route 395A) is closed in both directions between I-580 - Exit 50 and Franktown Road in Washoe Valley Nevada due to the number of fire resources accessing the area. Local residents will be allowed through.
Fire officials are asking people to drive slowly and not pull over and take pictures for public and firefighter safety.