Copyright © 2001 The Associated Press
June 18, 2001
By MARTIN GRIFFITH, Associated Press Writer

RENO, Nev. (AP) - A major rail line through the Sierra Nevada remained closed Monday by a forest fire that grew rapidly to 20,000 acres, but residents evacuated from a tiny community were allowed to return home.

Monday's weather forecast was for temperatures in the 80s, extremely low humidity, and wind blowing at 20 mph.

``That's not good,'' fire spokeswoman Liz Richmond said Monday.

Officials didn't know when the blaze might be contained.

The fire started Sunday east of Truckee, Calif., and spread generally eastward along Interstate 80 toward Reno, about seven miles away. The cause had not yet been determined, but there was no lightning in the area Sunday.

The fire closed the transcontinental rail line through Truckee River Canyon used by both Union Pacific freight and Amtrak passenger trains.

I-80 was closed at the Nevada state line after flames jumped the highway. It was reopened late Sunday but Richmond said it might be closed again because of the threat of falling boulders in the burned area.

Heavy smoke reached the Reno area and the Carson Valley about 60 miles to the southeast.

A mobile home, travel trailer and three vehicles were destroyed in the nearby Hirschdale area, and 42 homes in Floriston, about 10 miles east of Truckee, were ordered evacuated.

None of those homes was damaged during the night and the residents were allowed to return, ``but it's not clear if they will be allowed to stay,'' Richmond said Monday.

Debbie Baldwin fled her home with two children, two dogs, a bird, family photographs and a few other possessions.

``I live on the south side of town and right there was a wall of fire coming right at us,'' she said. ``You could hear it. You could feel it. In 20 years of living there I've never seen anything like it.''

The fire's rapid growth, fueled by the area's driest conditions in more than 50 years, amazed firefighters, said Reno Fire Battalion Chief Tom Donnelly.

``That doesn't bode well for this summer,'' he said. Error: Unable to read footer file.