Wildfire south of Caliente contained, officials say

Firefighters announced Saturday that they had fully contained a 12,000-acre wildfire about 20 miles south of Caliente.

Incident commander Bill Panagopoulos said the Vigo Fire was fully contained shortly before 6 p.m. Friday. Mop-up operations would continue through the weekend "to ensure that the burn area is 100 percent secure," Panagopoulos said.

The lightning-ignited wildfire was first reported Monday morning.

None of the 180 federal and local firefighters and support personnel who battled the blaze were injured.

Officials are allowing a smaller, unnamed 500-acre fire to burn in the vast Desert National Wildlife Refuge in the Sheep Mountains about 7,000 feet above sea level. Smoke from the blaze has been visible in Las Vegas since Thursday.

Fire officials determined there was no danger as the fire spread slowly in the 1.6 million-acre wildlife refuge.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Dan Balduini said Mormon Well Road, from Pine Nut Road to Sawmill Road, was closed due to the fire. A small campground at Desert Pass was also closed as a precaution, he said.

Both wildfires are believed to have started after lightning strikes.

No structures or homes were threatened by either blaze.