LAS VEGAS, July 3 (UPI) -- Smoke from a wildfire burning four miles north of Las Vegas was visible in the city Monday, but burning out of control away from the city.
Hillerie Patton of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management said the fire had consumed about 2,500 acres by Sunday night, and was in a high-terrain area too dangerous for fire crews to reach in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
A fire in the Sheep Mountains, some 50 miles further north, has consumed more than 21,000 acres and was considered 50 percent contained, fire officials said.
In Nevada, a fire in the Kaibab National Forest was 50 percent contained after covering 58,630 acres, WPNX-TV, Phoenix, reported.
While the vast majority of wildfires are sparked by lightning strikes, various state fire officials were concerned people will be creating more with Fourth of July fireworks.
"Fireworks are illegal in the state of Nevada unless approved by the local jurisdiction," State Fire Marshal Chad Hastings said.
People who start fires with fireworks can face fines of up to $10,000 and six months in jail, and can also be liable for damages caused by a fire.
