250 residents call in Genoa fire started by lightning

When a lightning strike hit the side of Water Canyon above Genoa on Friday night a 16-acre forest fire wasn't the only thing it set off.

Residents from all over the Valley who were watching the lightning storm flooded Douglas County Dispatch with 911 calls at 8:15 p.m.

There were an estimated 250 calls to inform authorities one of the strikes had started a fire.

"That doesn't account for all the calls on Saturday," said Sgt. Tom Mezzetta of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

By Saturday morning firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service, Nevada Division of Forestry and East Fork Fire & Paramedic Districts marshaled their forces to attack the blaze.

Genoa residents were treated to an air show that featured both large and small air tankers and multiple helicopter water drops on the fire.

Air operations were conducted out of a field on Genoa's historic Ranch One. Foothill Road south of town was closed off as helicopters flew low back and forth carrying water buckets from where they filled up at the river.

Four ground crews made their way 3/4 of the way up the mountain from Genoa, dodging burning debris that was rolling down the mountain.

Thanks to hard work, cooler weather and higher humidity, hand crews had a line completely around the fire by Sunday morning in what Sierra Front Wildfire Cooperators Information Officer Franklin Pinkerton characterized as a very successful night.

More than 100 firefighters responded to the blaze which is on U.S. Forest Service land. A unified command between the U.S. Forest Service, Nevada Division of Forestry and the East Fork Fire & Paramedic Districts holds jurisdiction on the fire.

No structures were threatened by the fire and there have been no evacuations.

Mezzetta said authorities encourage people to call 911 if there is an emergency, whether it is a fire, suspicious activity or a crime in progress.

"We don't want to discourage people from calling, because you never know if somebody has seen it," he said.