1,500-acre fire nearing east Carson industrial area

The Linehan fire is coming down behind the Harley-Dividson Financial Center and the Carson Gun Club's trap range in northeast Carson City. The fire is to the northeast of the industrial area off of Arrowhead Drive.

Appeal photographer Chad Lundquist said crews used a bull dozer to build a fire break between the Flat fire and homes near Linehan Road along Pyrite, Calcite and Red Rock.

"It looks like the first contact with homes was off the end of Red Rock Road where home owners have been hosing down their homes despite the evacuation order," he said.

At one point 150-300 homes were threatened, according to Tom Crawford of the Sierra Interagency Dispatch Center.

The fire has burned up to a home at Red Rock and Feldspar, but the home was saved. From what our teams in the field can tell, no homes have been lost in Mound House as of 8:30 p.m.

The fire was burning along Cygnet near Tank. Fire crews are stationed at the end of Cygnet. The fire is burning in a field next to the Production Pattern and Foundary Co. at the Mound House water tank.

"We have two separate wildfires burning together here shortly. Both are 500 acres each," said Lyon Sheriff's Capt. Jeff Page earlier tonight. "In addition, (Lyon County) is working on a fire farther east in the district between Stagecoach and Fernley," named the Copper fire.

That fire is at 25 acres and the Iron Mountain fire is at 100 acres, both are northwest of Stagecoach.

More than 60 pieces of equipment and 300 firefighters are working the Flat and Linehan fires burning in Carson City and the Mound House fire burning in Lyon County, said Page.

Both blazes are spreading rapidly through sage, juniper and cheat grass.

Homes and businesses in the area are threatened by the trio of lightning-caused fires that began about 3:30 p.m.

Further information will be posted as it becomes available.

Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for residents on Mica Circle and on Red Rock, according to Appeal reporter F.T. Norton who was on scene more than an hour ago.

"Winds are wicked out here," she said. "The fire is burning down the back side of Mica and Feldspar to the dirt road behind, almost to Red Rock. Residents were running like mad to evacuate.

"The fire department is going through the neighborhood with a bull horn or knocking on doors ordering mandatory evacuations."

Dayton High School, 335 Old Dayton Valley Road, has been set up as the evacuation center.

Those who have any evacuation difficulties should contact the Lyon county Sheriff's Department at (775) 577-5023.

Animals are being evacuated by the Lyon County Animal Services and its volunteer rescue group. Those with questions about evacuations of people or animals can call 246-6209.

Nevada Highway Patrol reports that Highway 50 has been opened. The road has been closed for more than four hours due to the Linehan Complex fire in Mound House.

Shifting winds drove the fire to the northern edge of Highway 50 near the county line. Earlier reports that the fire jumped the highway were in error.

The road was closed between Deer Run Road and the NV 50 restaurant at about 6 p.m.

Crews are also responding to the:

The Eagle Picture fire south of Interstate 80 and southwest of Patrick in northern Storey County and to several other fires burning north of Reno.

According to The Associated Press, nearly 1,000 firefighters are battling the series of lightning-sparked fires that had burned more than 50,000 acres across Northern Nevada since this afternoon.

Sections of U.S. Interstate 80 have been closed at times and part of the training grounds at a state fire academy have been scorched.

All told, fire crews were attacking nearly two dozen fires across Northern Nevada Monday evening, from the heavily timbered western front of the Sierra Nevada near Reno to the sage and grass-filled rangeland near Elko 300 miles to the east.