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Jarbidge fire causes concerns

Monday, August 25, 2008 12:40 PM PDT

ELKO - County Commissioners ordered an emergency meeting today to discuss the East Slide Rock Ridge fire, which started Aug. 8 in the Jarbidge Wilderness.

According to a statement from County Manager Rob Stokes, the meeting was ordered because the fire is at a point where there is a potential threat to the safety of those living in Jarbidge and the surrounding area.

Stokes told the Elko Daily Free Press the fire is in the area of Sawmill Canyon Ridge, which is 3.5 miles east of the town. All of northern Nevada is under red flag weather conditions today and wind gusts are projected up to 40 miles per hour.

The wind direction is from the southwest, which would push the fire away from Jarbidge.

“Our concern is with the possibility for a wind shift,” Stokes said. “We're just trying to be prepared. The Type 1 team is doing a good job and we really appreciate their work and effort.”

The fire was last estimated at about 18,250 acres.

The fire grew from its initial stage as a wild land use fire by the U.S. Forest Service as a means to naturally reduce fuel loads of dead or diseased trees. Now, the fire has 10 crews and four helicopters working on controlling the blaze.

“They should've put the damn thing out,” Assemblyman John Carpenter said Friday after reviewing the fire's status. “When you get a fire going in northeastern Nevada in August, you put it out or it's going to get away from you.”

By Jared DuBach

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