Gardnerville, Nev. – Great Basin Management Type 2 Team 3, operating under Incident Commander Mike Whalen, reports fire fighters made significant progress yesterday. Firefighters, both day and night shifts, concentrated their efforts yesterday along a ridge above the evacuated homes and other hot spots.

The weather forecast yesterday called for evening thunderstorms with dry lightning and erratic winds. The Incident Command Team had requested the voluntary evacuation be extended until after the afternoon burning period to make sure the line was going to hold during the afternoon wind event. The line held and the voluntary evacuation order was lifted (about 6:30 p.m.) The size of the fire has been reduced due to more accurate mapping.

The plan of action for today is to continue work on the hot spots and to start the rehab process.

The fire is now 65-percent contained with a full containment target date of July 14.

A spike camp is set up in Smith Valley and approximately 400 fire fighters are working out of this camp on the east side of the fire.

The number of personnel assigned to the incident is 1038. There has been one firefighter injury (twisted knee) reported.

The cost, to date, of fighting this fire is $5,330,979.

The following road closures to non-residents are still in place due to the heavy fire vehicle traffic:

* Pine Nut Road at the intersection of Out-R-Way

*East Valley Road at Grandview

*Sunrise Pass Road at Coyote Rock

*Brunswick Canyon Road

*Mexican Dam Road

*Sunrise Pass Road at Artesia Road

We continue to ask that, for your safety and the safety of the firefighters, the public stay away from the fire area.

No residences were damaged or lost in the Bison fire but to lessen the possibility of your home being damaged in another fire, please clear 30 feet around your residences, “reduce the fuel, reduce the risk.”

Fire information will continue to be updated at www.sierrafront.net, www.inciweb.org, and on the Sierra Front Wildfire Cooperators and Douglas County’s pages on Facebook. A fire information phone line is also being staffed from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 775-782-1428

Date Started: 7/04/2013

Cause: Lightning

Total Personnel: 1065

Structures:

Threatened – 98

Destroyed – One old mining structure

Size: 24,136 acres

Percent Contained: 65

Resources: 5 Seats 10 Helicopters;

33 Engines; 35 Crews; 8 Water Tenders

4 Dozers

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