The Nevada BLM said two lightning-caused fires near Caliente, Nevada, grew to nearly 10,000 acres and remained 0% contained as firefighters faced gusts up to 40 mph, hot temperatures and single-digit humidity. The fires in Utah near the Nevada-Utah border were spreading fast enough that the agency asked the public to avoid the fire areas and give crews room to work safely.
The Kane Springs Fire was mapped at 5,793 acres about 17 miles southwest of Caliente. The Grapevine Fire was mapped at 3,949 acres 10 miles southeast of Caliente in the Clover Mountain Wilderness area. Added together, the two fires total 9,742 acres, which is why the combined figure is described as nearly 10,000 acres.
Nevada BLM and the fires in Utah
Wednesday brought two separate lightning strikes that sparked the fires near Caliente. Both blazes were already more than 1,000 acres that day, then continued to expand under conditions that made suppression harder.
The Kane Springs Fire was burning with torching and flanking fire activity. The Grapevine Fire showed extreme fire behavior with sustained runs, group torching and spotting. Those terms describe how fire can move through fuels in different patterns, with spotting sending embers ahead of the main front and making lines harder to hold.
Caliente and the Clover Mountain Wilderness area
The Grapevine Fire’s location in the Clover Mountain Wilderness area puts it close to terrain where access can be limited, while the Kane Springs Fire is burning southwest of Caliente. The Nevada BLM’s request for the public to avoid the fire areas is aimed at keeping roads and working space open for crews while the fires stay uncontained.
June 19 red flag warning
A red flag warning was in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on June 19, adding another layer of difficulty for suppression. With both fires at 0% containment and wind, heat and low humidity still in play, the immediate issue for residents and firefighters near Caliente is keeping the fires from making another fast run while crews work to establish control lines.
