Dayton fire destroys buildings

DAYTON - A brush fire destroyed outbuildings and numerous vehicles Wednesday but fire crews were able to save the primary residence in Mark Twain on Wednesday.

Central Lyon County Fire District Battalion Chief Mark Darragh said the brush fire was reported about 12:30 p.m. at 107 N. Rainbow Drive. En route, the call was changed to a structure fire.

"When we got there, a single-wide mobile home was burning on the exterior and multiple vehicles were destroyed," he said.

Fire units from the Central Lyon County Fire Protection District, Mason Valley Fire Protection District, Storey County Fire Department, Bureau of Land Management and a helicopter crew, air tanker crew and two hand crews responded.

Darragh said the fire grew to 12 acres before it was contained.

The main residence sustained exterior damage, six outbuildings were destroyed and several vehicles, including a motor home were burned. Ammunition and a propane tank erupted in the intense heat. No one was injured.

The State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the cause.

In Carson City, fire crews were able to contain a wildland fire near the rifle range about 12:45 p.m. that may have been caused by bullets.

"We really don't know what started the fire, but there were a lot of people there shooting when we got there," said EMS Battalion Chief Vince Pirozzi.

Three engines from the Carson City Fire Department, the Bureau of Land Management, the Nevada Division of Forestry one helicopter and one single-engine air attack plane worked to keep the blaze from jumping the Carson River.

Pirozzi said the sparse desert landscape of mostly sagebrush and cheat grass kept the fire from growing.

"The fuel isn't that great there. The fire was tooling along pretty easy," he said.

n Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.