LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A wildfire that has been burning for two weeks in the Mojave National Preserve is dying out.
According to the Bureau of Land Management, the York Fire is 98% contained. The fire has burned 93,078 acres, as of Thursday afternoon. Officials said firefighters will work through the weekend to look for hot spots and maintain established containment lines.
A Burned Area Emergency Response team has also been sent to the area. Officials said the team will look for post-wildfire threats that could cause safety issues. For example, fires burn plants and expose the soil to erosion and increased water runoff, which could lead to future flooding.
Mojave National Preserve officials said the official closure order previously put in place for the York Fire area will remain in effect until further notice.
RELATED LINK: Superintendent of Mojave National Preserve closes York Fire area for safety
Those closures include Ivanpah Road between Morning Star Mine Road and Cedar Canyon Road as well as all of Hart Mine Road.
Preserve officials said those closures will gives crews time to look for and fix issues like sinkholes, burned-out bridges, weakened structures that might contain hazardous materials, and washed out roads.
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Right now, the Mojave National Preserve is under extreme fire restrictions. That means all open flames and smoking are banned for the time being. The only exceptions are controlled flame devices will shut off valves like gas stoves and lanterns.
Investigators are still trying to determined what caused the fire. However, they said it started on private land in the Mojave National Preserve.
