Firefighters Gaining On Nevada Fires

Carson City, NV — For the first time in five days, firefighters battling more than 215 square miles of wildfires in Nevada have reason for optimism.

That´s thanks in part to better weather and reinforcements from across the West.

With scattered showers, lower temperatures and higher humidity, fire crews are holding their own against a 79-thousand-acre fire in eastern Nevada that earlier in the week closed 20 miles of Interstate 80 from Carlin to Elko. That fire is now estimated to be 60 percent contained.

Fire officials say the threats to homes in Elko and Carlin is greatly diminished.

In the western part of the state, the 58-hundred-acre Linehan fire that threatened up to 300 homes at one point and forced evacuations around Carson City is now 90 percent contained.

The 32-hundred-acre Virginia fire, which closed U-S Highway 95-A between Fernley and Silver Springs for several hours Wednesday, is 80 percent contained.