Mount Charleston blaze contained; gains made in Moapa

Firefighters have fully contained the 20-acre blaze on Mount Charleston and the 601-acre fire near Moapa was 50 percent contained Monday, according to the Bureau of Land Management.

BLM spokeswoman Kirsten Cannon said 35 firefighters remained at the scene of the Cathedral fire on Mount Charleston to do mop up, monitoring and hazardous tree removal.

She said firefighters expect to have the fire-ravaged area under control, or completely extinguished including spot fires by Wednesday evening.

The fire was started Thursday by an illegal campfire.

All trails will reopen today, but the Cathedral Rock picnic area will remain closed until crews can remove hazardous trees that were burned. Cannon said fire restrictions remain in effect.

The Moapa fire, which also began Thursday, is expected to be 100 percent contained this week, said BLM spokeswoman Hillerie Patton.

The cause is still under investigation but residents have said it was started by a work crew trimming palm trees to reduce the fire danger.

The fire consumed 18 structures: nine residences and nine outbuildings.

Patton said about 200 firefighters continue to work the fire, which swept through the Warm Springs community west of Moapa. The fire was 55 miles northeast of Las Vegas near Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge.