Crews battle blaze on California-Nevada line

RENO — Incident commanders called in reinforcements Wednesday to battle a stubborn forest fire in the Sierra Nevada foothills west of Reno.

The Highway fire that broke out Monday along Interstate 80 just west of the Nevada-California line was estimated at 350-400 acres and 20 percent contained, officials said.

It continued to burn Wednesday in heavy brush and timber, sending up a plume visible from Reno and choking the scenic Sierra town of Truckee, Calif., in a blanket of smoke.

Fire spokesman Franklin Pemberton said a federal management team was requested and should assume oversight of the fire late Wednesday or early Thursday.

“With that comes a little bit more clout in getting resources,” he said.

About 150 firefighters struggled in the rugged terrain to contain the blaze.

Besides having to watch for loose boulders and burning debris rolling down on them, firefighters have to take care to keep their balance and not fall into each other while making their way up steep slopes.

“It’s a bowling alley up there,” Pemberton said. “That’s the term they use for a dangerous situation. Boulders keep rolling down the hill.”

On Tuesday, firefighters were assisted from the air by two large and two medium helicopters, as well as two large air tankers, at least for a while.

The heavy air tankers were diverted later in the day to another fire in California, Pemberton said.