UN I V E R S I T Y D A I L Y K A N S A N
Monday. August 22. 1994
5A
Fires rage in West
Six states battling fires that continue to flout firefighters
The Associated Press
LOYALTON, Calif. — Crews used bulldozers, picks and shovels on Saturday to claw a protective path between a 38,500-acre forest fire and this tiny Sierra Nevada lumber town.
More than 2,000 firefighters — nearly twice Loyalton's population — battled the fire that had threatened the community since Wednesday.
"I'm tired of it. Tired of the smoke, tired of leaving, tired of the whole fire," said resident Mary Anderson.
Many residents have taken to wearing bandanas around their faces to filter out smoke, which is visible 60 miles east in Carson City, Nev.
Crews have managed to stop the flames' advance around only 20 percent of its circumference, according to Stacey Giomi of the Sierra Front Wildfire Cooperators.
No structures have been lost and only minor injuries have been reported since the fire began Tuesday at the Cottonwood Campground south of Sierraville. Officials said it was set, but the cause remained under investigation.
Thirty-one buldozers worked Saturday digging a wide firebreak around the south edge of town. More than 200 fire trucks were parked in neighborhoods to protect buildings from windborne embers. Airplanes and helicopters dropped water and fire retardant.
Throughout the West, 28 major fires remained out of control Saturday. They had burned across nearly 400,000 acres in Idaho, Montana, Utah, Oregon, Washington and California, the National Interagency Fire Center said.
Only seven of the major fires were outside Idaho and western Montana. Idaho had 10 fires
that had covered 157,745 acres and Montana fire crews battled 11 major blazes that had burned 24,965 acres.
Near Idaho City, a fast-moving forest fire doubled in size overnight to 7,000 acres but a threat to nearly 30 houses eased Saturday. An evacuation alert remained in effect for the subdivision.
Montana also had scores of smaller fires and some 6,000 firefighters were stretched to the limit. More than 400 new firefighters completed emergency training Saturday, and 680 soldiers from Fort Lewis, Wash. were due to arrive Sunday for similar training.
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