A plane drops retardant on the Sandy Valley wildfire in the Spring Mountains about two miles west of State Route 160 Friday, June 11, 2021.
Published Monday, June 14, 2021 | 9:55 a.m.
Updated Monday, June 14, 2021 | 1:05 p.m.
A new wildfire was burning in the mountains outside Las Vegas this morning, just as crews reached 90% containment on a nearby blaze that started Thursday, according to the Bureau of Land Management.
The new Cottonwood Valley Fire was discovered about 11 a.m. today, with a large plume of smoke emerging from the mountains and visible throughout the valley. The cause of the fire is undetermined, according to the BLM.
The new fire is west of the previous Sandy Valley fire, just off State Route 160.
BLM officials said the Sandy Valley Fire has burned nearly 2 square miles but the fire lines were holding, despite low humidity and gusty winds on Sunday.
Firefighters are targeting achieving full containment this week.
The blaze was first reported Thursday 10 miles southwest of Las Vegas. It is believed to have been sparked by target shooting, authorities said.
It has been relegated to lands overseen by the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service. The landscape is comprised of grass, brush and pinyon-juniper.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
