Firefighters expect to have the Larsen fire contained by Monday evening. The lightning-sparked fire, which threatened Coleville for a brief time on Friday, burned 150 acres of pinon juniper, bitterbrush and sage on the mountain side just south of town.
Highway 395 was under traffic control on Friday while heavy smoke reduced visibility.
On Saturday evening, the fire was still smoldering within the burned portion and a line had been build around a quarter of it. Rain helped slow the fire down.
In all 210 people are working on the fire along with eight handcrews, four engines and two helicopters.
Saturday's thunderstorm produced more rain than lightning, providing welcome relieve to Valley firefighters who were sent scrambling by Friday's storm.
A total of .13 inches of rain were recorded in the Gardnerville Ranchos.
The storm prompted the National Weather Service to issue a severe weather watch when it developed, but as it approached Minden and Gardnerville, it weakened.
The National Weather Service has set a fire weather watch for Monday afternoon when a strong low pressure system and cold front approach Carson Valley.
Expect winds to gust up to 35 mph as temperatures rise and humidity falls. The high temperature on Monday will climb toward 90 with partly cloudy skies. On the other side of the front, high temperatures will drop nearly 20 degrees with the high on Wednesday predicted to be 69 degrees.
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