Willow trees along U.S. 395 were toasted in fire Tuesday afternoon. Mammoth Times Photo/Stacey Powells

A vegetation fire, charring dozens of willow trees on U.S. 395 near the Virgina Creek Settlement started around noon on Tuesday, May 5, 2009.

Northbound and southbound traffic on 395 was delayed and a pilot car from Caltrans was being used to shuttle cars through as fire crews sought containment of the fire.

Bridgeport Fire Department, Lee Vining Fire Department, Toiyabe National Forest and Bureau of Land Management responded to the area.  Crews from the Mountain Warfare Training Center were also called to the scene.

The crews successfully extinguished the fire by approximately 3:25 p.m. No one was injured in the fire nor was there any loss of property. The cause of the fire is unknown and is under investigation by BLM.
Mono County Fire and Paramedic Rescue Chief Mark Mikulicich said the amount of acreage burned is also unknown at this time. – SP