By Vernon Robison
Moapa Valley Progress
Details about the cause of a wildfire that swept through the Warm Springs area in Moapa on July 1 were released last week in a Clark County Fire Department (CCFD) report of the incident. The report concluded that the cause of the fire, which burned over 600 acres of land and damaged seven confirmed structures, was accidental in nature.
According to the report, the fire began in an area located directly across the street from the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge on Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) property. In that area the charred remains of a wood chipper and a 2005 Ford F150 were observed. The report confirmed that the truck had been rented from Ahern Rentals by subcontractor Native Resources of Nevada.
The SNWA had hired Native Resources to clear vegetation and brush from the property. According to a Native Resources company supervisor who was cited in the report, the project had been a six week job and the crews were on the final day and final hour of completing the project.
At some point, crews were hauling material in the truck to the wood chipper. In trying to back up, the truck got stuck. Workers said that they began to see smoke coming from underneath the truck, the report stated. Though they tried to extinguish the fire with buckets of water and a fire extinguisher, the fire grew quickly, the report states.
The crew eventually had to evacuate the area and call for help. The report concludes that the fire began with mulch and dried brush coming into contact with the hot catalytic converter in the exhaust system of the truck.
The total dollar loss from the fire was estimated at approximately 2.5 million dollars, the report states. The report listed the seven confirmed structures damaged in the fire. These included 1.) the home of Mary Premo at 4240 Warm Springs Road and 2.) two other trailer structures on the same property, 3.) the “big house” at the LDS Warm Springs Ranch at 4280 Kimball Road and 4.) two caretaker trailer residences on the same property, 5.) a wooden gazebo structure located at 4385 Hwy 168, 6.) a barn building on Bill Parson’s property and 7.) a shed located on SNWA property.
