Thanks to eastern Nevada’s peculiar geography the old adage “where there is smoke, there is fire” needs a little modification.
“Smoke visible to eastern Nevada residents is the result of wildfires in neighboring states, e.g., California, Idaho and Oregon. There are currently no fires of significant size in Lincoln and White Pine counties.” advised Bureau of Land Management Public affairs specialist Chris Hanefield.
“For the past week we and other offices have been getting calls. residents see and smell smoke. They are, but it is not coming from fires anywhere near here.” Hanefield said.
The reason for this phenomena is geography. Eastern Nevada lies on the second largest steady wind routes in the world second only to the Great Rift Valley stretching from Africa to southern Asia.
Masses of air blow steadily south in the winter and north in the summer. Birds take advantage of the free ride during their migrations and so does smoke. Smoke from a fire in California will drift across Nevada and once it hits the trough will find itself thousands of miles north or south.
There are however fires close by as well, Hanefeld added.
“Currant, Lund and Railroad Valley residents may see smoke from the estimated 80-acre Bear Trap Fire, burning high inside the Grant Range Wilderness, in Nye County. The fire is not a threat to human life or property. The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Ely Ranger District is managing the fire.” Hanefield said.
Latest updates
Some eastern Nevada residents and visitors may occasionally see smoke from two Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Ely Ranger District-managed wildfires. The fires pose no threat to human life or property.
The approximately 50-acre Hampton Fire in the Mount Moriah Wilderness, about 60 miles east of Ely, is visible to residents in Baker, Nev., and Garrison, Utah, and to visitors at Great Basin National Park. The 205-acre Bear Trap Fire in the Grant Range Wilderness, about 60 miles southwest of Lund, can be seen by residents of Currant, Duckwater, Sunnyside and Railroad Valley.
Both lightning-ignited fires are burning in mixed conifer in steep, rugged terrain. The District is managing the fires in accordance with the Forest Land Management and Fire Management plans. The plans increase public and firefighter safety, reduce the threat of future catastrophic wildland fire, increase native vegetative diversity and improve wildlife habitat.
The Hampton Fire was first reported at about 3:45 p.m., Wednesday, July 16. The Bear Trap Fire was reported at about 12 p.m., Tuesday, July 15.
The next Bear Trap and Hampton fires update will be Monday, July 21, provided there is no significant fire activity.
For more information, contact Fire Information Officer Chris Hanefeld at (775) 289-1842 or chanefel@blm.gov or go to Eastern Nevada Interagency Fire at https://www.facebook.com/ElyFire. You can also follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Ely_Dispatch.
