Small-plane crash near Reno sparks mountainside fire
A wildfire sparked by a small-plane crash on a mountain outside of Reno had burned about 40 acres by Sunday evening as it crept toward the Mount Rose ski resort, fire officials said.
The fire started at about 1:40 p.m. in a rugged, wooded area on Slide Mountain on the northwest side of the Washoe Valley, said Adam Mayberry, spokesman for the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District.
Witnesses reported seeing a small airplane crash in the area, causing an explosion, he added.
The aircraft crashed in a forested area above Bowers Mansion. Medics tried to reach the area Sunday, but the crash site would not be accessible until Monday, said Ian Gregor, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.
Information on the number of people on board, their conditions, or the route of the aircraft was unknown Sunday.
The blaze, dubbed the Slide Fire, initially threatened the Mount Rose ski area but had stopped advancing in that direction late in the afternoon, fire officials said.
The fire was burning timber at higher elevations — from 6,000 to 8,000 feet — making it difficult for ground crews to fight it. Multiple aircraft, including airplanes and helicopters, were pulling water from Lake Tahoe and Washoe Lake to fight the blaze, Mayberry added.
The fire was advancing at a slow to moderate speed and no structures were immediately threatened, but authorities asked hikers and campers in the area of Davis Creek to evacuate, Mayberry said. Highway 395 was closed in the northern part of Washoe County.
Residents of Washoe County were advised to remain vigilant and monitor local news reports. The Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District said the flames would be visible through the night and that crews would secure the perimeter and work on containment.
“It’s a very difficult fire because it’s on a slope of mountain,” the spokesman said, adding that crews were attacking it aggressively from the air.