Brush fire spreads to Henderson home, leaves one dead

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — One person was found dead after crews extinguished a brush fire that broke out and spread to a home in Henderson Wednesday morning, according to the fire chief.

Flames could be seen pouring out of the Whitney Mesa area near Sunset Road and Arroyo Grande Boulevard, just west of Stephanie Street.

Firefighters received a report about an outside fire around 4:30 a.m., Henderson Fire Chief Scott Vivier told reporters. By the time crews arrived, the fire had grown to 2-3 acres, damaged one home and spread to the landscaping of a second home.

“Because the call occurred early in the morning, most residents were asleep, and that’s what allowed the fire to grow to the size before it was recognized,” the chief said. “Residents initially woke up seeing it, and they started to self-evacuate.”

Two alarms were called for the response, according to Vivier. Crews contained the fire to the area of origin and extinguished it with no further damage. Clark County and Bureau of Land Management firefighters provided assistance.

During a primary search of the area, authorities found one person dead. The cause of death is unknown, and Henderson Police are investigating.

About 50 residents in the neighborhood were asked to evacuate because of the heavy smoke, Vivier said. They have since been allowed to return to their homes. He added that the Henderson Fire Department has preexisting plans for evacuating residents in response to any fires in the Whitney Mesa area.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, the chief said, and remains under investigation as well. Crews were expected to remain on scene throughout the day to clean up the space and make sure there were no flare-ups. There was no estimate on when Whitney Mesa Park could reopen to the public.

The Bureau of Land Management has been requested to provide assistance. Vivier said their expertise would be used to remove dangerous brush and trees that had been damaged in the fire.

Green Valley High School is also located nearby, off Arroyo Grande and Warm Springs Road. A Clark County School District spokesperson said the school began classes at their normal start times.

The Whitney Mesa area last suffered a significant brush fire in 2016, when amateur fireworks from a Fourth of July celebration in the Nature Preserve sparked large flames. No injuries were reported in that incident.