ELGIN, Nev. — A tower of smoke seen in the western skies of the St. George area Wednesday afternoon has its origins 118 miles away near Elgin, Nevada.
A fast-moving wildfire that was first sighted at 12:20 p.m. has burned through a mostly barren hillside in the eastern Nevada desert.
The Bishop Fire has burned away desert brush in the southern Rainbow Canyon and is being attacked by several aircrews flying out of the Cedar City Airport as well as fire agencies from Nevada.
“It’s about 500 acres but putting up a lot of smoke, but I estimate it’s going to make a lot more,” said Chris Hanefeld, spokesperson for Eastern Nevada Interagency Fire.
Hanefeld said the cause of the fire is unknown.
Smoke has been seen as far as Mesquite, Nevada, Enterprise and St. George. The fire is about 109 miles northwest of Mesquite and 158 miles due west of Cedar City.
No structures are being threatened by the fire itself, and nearby Rainbow Canyon Road remains open.
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Smoke from the Bishop Fire in Nevada, as seen from St. George, Utah, July 29, 2020 | Photo courtesy of Gerard Dauphinais, St. George News Smoke from the Bishop Fire in Nevada, as seen from St. George, Utah, July 29, 2020 | Photo courtesy of Gerard Dauphinais, St. George News Smoke from the Bishop Fire in Nevada, as seen from St. George, Utah, July 29, 2020 | Photo courtesy of Sindy Magana, St. George News The Bishop Fire seen from the Ella Mountain Lookout in the Clover Mountains south of Caliente, Nevada, on July 29. 2020. | Photo courtesy Eastern Nevada Interagency Fire, St. George News Smoke from the Bishop Fire coming from Eastern Nevada seen in the St. George, Utah, area on July 29, 2020. | Photo by Hollie Reina, St. George News The location of the Bishop Fire near Elgin, Nevada, about 118 miles west of the St. George, Utah, area on July 29, 2020. | Photo via Google Maps, St. George News
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