Cottonwood Peak Fire continues with rapid growth
Rapid growth has caused the Cottonwood Peak Fire to cover more than 64,000 acres as of Tuesday night, more than doubling in size since the day before, according to an update from federal officials.
Though firefighters are working around the clock to tame the flames that have been burning since Friday near Tuscarora in Elko County, containment remains at 4 percent, according to a Bureau of Land Management, Elko District media release.
The number of personnel combating the blaze has also increased from the last reported 478. The BLM said there were 717 personnel involved.
The “critical fire weather” has been an uphill battle for firefighters and Tuesday proved to be the same, according to the release, with the fire advancing “as fast as a mile an hour,” at times. As a result, “the fire is becoming established on the east side of Highway 226 north of Chicken Creek Summit and is approaching National Forest System lands,” the BLM said.
Fire crews are continuing their structure protection efforts on this location of the fire as multiple ranches and some structures are being threatened by the flames, the press release states. The BLM reported that there are no structure losses.
Portions of the western and eastern flanks of the fire have been met with successful line construction and reinforcement, the BLM said.
A Red Flag Warning remains in place for Elko County until 10 p.m. Tuesday because of extreme fire weather conditions. The weather conditions are expected again on Wednesday, the release states.
Temporary closures include the Wilson Reservoir, Wild Horse Crossing and Jack Creek campgrounds, and a section of Highway 226 from Highway 225 to Maggie Summit Road, according to the release. Temporary flight restrictions in the area have also expanded, prohibiting all private aircrafts and drones.
The BLM says personnel are attacking the flames with airtankers and helicopters overhead and bulldozers and other equipment on the ground.
Hot and dry weather is expected until the weekend, the press release states.
Contact Arlette Yousif at ayousif@reviewjournal.com and follow her on Instagram at @arletteyousif.
