LATEST UPDATE: As of Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Forest Service confirms the Lovell Fire is now 95 percent contained.
13 Action News was given a first hand look at the fire damage that scorched 445 acres.
"Certainly in most of our lifetimes this area will not be forested again," said Ray Johnson with the U.S. Forest Service.
Right now crews are still investigating the cause, but Johnson believes it was possible started by a careless individual.
"Other than lightning any fire that starts out here is human caused," Johnson said.
Fire crews have been working day and night under extremely hot conditions to put the flames out. One crew in particular is playing a big role in the fight.
"They were out here first, about an hour and a half after the fire was called," said Tommy Lewis with the Nevada Forestry.
Lewis is talking about the 84 inmates helping to fight the Lovell Fire. There is also a crew made of only women.
"They are on the lines with these guys doing the same thing the guys do, so, we don't see any difference," Lewis said.
Crew will work to get the fire out before mopping hot spots in the area.
The U.S. Forest Service wants to remind people to follow fire restrictions at all state parks. Fireworks are also illegal on any federal and Bureau of Land Management land.
SECOND UPDATE: Crews have all hands on deck as they work to put the Lovell Fire out, before it spreads anymore.
The fire has now spread to 445 acres, and crews have about 80 percent contained. U.S. Forest Service officials estimate it will be 100 percent contained Tuesday.
About 25 percent of the firefighters on the ground are inmate firefighters, and crews say they wouldn't be able to put out the fire without them.
"This is probably the first time some of them have had this much responsibility," says Tommy Lewis, the camp counselor. "Society isn't looking at them like this is a bunch of criminals. These guys are out here working and they're doing the same thing all the other crews are doing."
UPDATE: 13 Action News has more information about the Lovell Fire.
Fire crews say the fire has grown to about 250-300 acres Monday morning. And they say they have little to no containment.
But they are getting additional resources from California. Firefighters received a helicopter overnight, as well as a skycrane that can carry up to 2,000 gallons of water at a time.
Fire crews say the main goal today is to trap the fire.
"Internally, on a large fire, our biggest concern is the edges, or the flanks," says Ray Johnson, with US Forest Service. "That's where the firefighters are primarily working, and that's where the aircraft will be putting retardant."
ORIGINAL STORY
CLARK COUNTY, Nev. (KTNV) -- Firefighters are battling a wildfire in rural western Clark County Sunday afternoon.
Firefighters take on the Lovell Canyon Fire, west of #LasVegas, which has burned more than 200 acres at last count. pic.twitter.com/DBZK93n1Fk
— Barry White (@KTNVBarryWhite) June 27, 2016
The Lovell Fire was reported around 11:35 a.m. on Lovell Canyon Road, near Mountain Springs. The fire has grown to 200 acres.
Wildfire UPDATE: Flames are dying down, crews will work through the night. Smoke less dark and heavy now pic.twitter.com/o0vJ7SZuyP
— David Schuman (@david_schuman) June 27, 2016
There are currently three single Engine air tankers, two heavy air tankers, one very large air tanker, one helicopter, and six U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management fire engines. In addition, Clark County has provided several engines and water tenders to support the effort. Nevada Department of Fire has dispatched three hand crews and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is also supporting the effort.
Lovell Canyon Road has been closed to all traffic.
Video: Red streak you see is what's dropping from plane flying over the wildfire. Heavy smoke pic.twitter.com/gCxJNIOwG6
— David Schuman (@david_schuman) June 27, 2016
There are no buildings currently in danger.
There were about 20 people up Lovell Canyon Road at a place called Torino Ranch, which runs a camp for children. 66 kids left the camp this morning before the fire started while the others were safely escorted down just before 6 p.m. after being stuck for several hours.
"They went once and tried to get us and bring us back down and then we got stopped and had to go back up," Julie Nybakken said. "We had about 20 people, a lot of them were volunteers."
The U.S. Forest Service told 13 Action News they're making sweeps of the area looking for anyone doing recreational activities but to the best of their knowledge, no one is up there anymore.
People being safely escorted down Lovell Canyon Rd. They couldn't come down for a few hours while road was blocked pic.twitter.com/uZxSbwZNaM
— David Schuman (@david_schuman) June 27, 2016
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Fire officials said this is the second blaze in the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area this week. There had been the Mud Springs Fire on June 23 but that fire has since been contained.
This is a developing story. Check back to 13 Action News for updates.
