Fast-Moving Nevada Wildfire Forces Evacuation Of Girl Scourt Camp

July 26, 2004
Authorities evacuated a Girl Scout camp and a youth correctional facility after a fast-moving wildfire spread in rugged hills.

MOUNT CHARLESTON, Nevada (AP) -- Authorities evacuated a Girl Scout camp and a youth correctional facility after a fast-moving wildfire sparked by a vehicle crash spread in rugged hills near this mountain community.

More than a dozen homes about 3 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the fire were also evacuated Monday as a precaution. The 600-hectare (1,500-acre) blaze is about 55 kilometers (35 miles) northwest of Las Vegas.

Camp Stimpson, the Girl Scout camp, and the Spring Mountain Youth Camp for juveniles, were evacuated Monday afternoon. There were about 100 youngsters at the two camps, Las Vegas police said.

Federal, state and local firefighters swarmed the hilly area. The U.S. Forest Service was providing helicopters and tanker planes.

``This is the fire we didn't want,'' said Mark Blankensop of the forest service, referring to the area's dry conditions.

Officials said the fire started on a highway nearby when a flatbed truck coming down the mountain overheated its breaks and lost control, rolling into brush and igniting the blaze, Las Vegas police said.

The driver was taken to a hospital. Her condition was not available.

No wide-scale evacuation had been ordered. About 2,500 people live in the Mount Charleston area.

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