UPDATE 12:30PM: Carson City Fire Department and sheriff’s deputies responded Wednesday morning to a fast moving brush fire in the 2100 block of Gentry Lane on the west side of Prison Hill. Forward progress has since been stopped on the 7.5-acre fire. There were no structures damaged.
As of around 12:30 p.m. crews are hitting hot spots for any potential flare-ups around the containment lines.
“It was a crew effort. They really hustled up the hill and did a great job,” said Carson City Acting Fire Chief Kevin Nyberg. “We ran into some rocks over the hill but the crews were able to get on it quick, getting lines around it and that’s when they got it out.”
Wind was definitely a factor, “which made it go as big as it did” pushing the fire up the hill and away from homes, Nyberg said.
Called in at 10:15 a.m. the fire had put up a large plume of smoke with flames visible. Carson City Fire Department responded with multiple engines and brush units. Firefighters arriving on scene reported a half-acre wind driven fire moving upslope, with structures threatened.
The fire grew and moved up the hill away from homes during the ground attack. Aircraft was also called to respond. As of 11:28 a.m. the live camera feed is currently showing far less smoke from early on when the fire took off.
Engines from nearby firefighting agencies and hand crews responded to the scene. Flames had been seen nearing the Fairview Drive area, closing the roadway briefly at Fairview and South Edmonds. The roadway has since reopened as of 10:57 a.m. Gentry Lane remains closed. The Fifth Street trailhead is closed.
The cause is under investigation. In a news release, Carson City Fire Department put out the following statement:
At 10:15 a.m., Carson City Fire Department responded to a fire on Prison Hill, near Gentry Lane. The fire has moved west and is contained. As of noon, the fire has burned roughly 7.5 acres. Gentry Lane is closed and only accessible to residents of that street. There are no evacuation requirements at this time.
Aside from the Gentry Lane closure, the 5th St. Trail, N. Prison Hill Trail, and all trails at Silver Saddle Ranch are closed as emergency responders work to extinguish the fire.
Several local agencies responded to the fire: Carson City Fire Department, Carson City Public Works, and Carson City Sheriff’s Office. We also want to acknowledge our regional partners that responded: East Fork Fire, Tahoe Douglas Fire, Truckee Fire, Reno Fire, North Lake Tahoe Fire, BLM, Forest Service, and Central Lyon Fire. Thank you for your help.
For more information about this fire, reach out to Chief Kevin Nyberg at knyberg@carsoncity.gov.
