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Sandy Valley Fire reportedly started by target shooting

sandy valley fire.jpeg
Posted at 2:31 PM, Jun 11, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-12 03:09:35-04

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — BLM law enforcement has completed their initial investigation and determined that the cause of the Sandy Valley Fire was target shooting when a round caused a spark that ignited dry vegetation.

The Sandy Valley Fire remains estimated at 1,500 acres and is burning on BLM and U.S. Forest Service administered lands. It started about two miles west of State Route 160 on Sandy Valley Road at 1:34 p.m. yesterday and is currently zero percent contained.

ORIGINAL STORY: Sandy Valley Fire southwest of Las Vegas grows to 1,500 acres, human-caused

Today, aircraft will continue to use retardant to stop the fire from growing to the north in an effort to eliminate impacts to Mt. Springs and Potosi Pass Road area. Firefighters on the ground are continuing to create containment.

On May 24, 2021, the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Clark County Fire Department, Mt. Charleston Fire Protection District, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service implemented fire restrictions in Southern Nevada.

Interagency fire restrictions prohibit:

• building and/or using a campfire or charcoal stove (using portable stove using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel OK providing it has an on/off switch)
• welding or operating an acetylene torch with open flames (except by permit)
• using any explosive (except by permit)
• using fireworks or firing a tracer
• operating an off-road vehicle without a spark arrestor

Bureau of Land Management also prohibits steel core ammunition and explosive targets as they are known fire starters. Tannerite, an explosive target, was found near the start of the Sandy Valley Fire but was not ignited.

Firefighters from BLM, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Nevada Division of Forestry and Clark County are actively suppressing the fire.