Fire forces evacuation of campground

An 81-acre wildfire closed Indian Creek Campground in Alpine County overnight on Monday.

The campground and the Alpine County Airport were threatened by the fire, first reported at 1:15 p.m.

Burning in Ponderosa pine, grass and brush, the fire started near Indian Creek Reservoir. Firefighters built a line halfway around the blaze by 6 p.m. Monday, stopping its forward progress. Four handcrews, nine engines made up most of the 125 firefighters battling the blaze.

According to Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center Dispatcher Helen Frazier, ground units continued to build a line around the fire on Monday night.

Airport Road, the only access from Highway 89 to the airport and campground, is closed until this morning. Frazier said the road's reopening will be announced today.

The fire sent a plume of smoke into the air over Carson Valley.

The California Highway Patrol closed Diamond Valley and Airport roads to all but emergency fire traffic.

No homes are located in the immediate area.

Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Nevada Division of Forestry, Alpine County CalFire and East Fork fire units are fighting the blaze.

Three air tankers and a helicopter worked on the fire early on, but were released in the evening.

Units on scene are expected to be able to contain the fire. No time for the containment of the fire has been determined, Frazier said.