I-Team: Moapa Fire Caused by Work Crew - 8 News NOW

I-Team: Moapa Fire Caused by Work Crew

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LAS VEGAS -- Fire investigators have determined that the massive fire that ripped through a scenic area near Moapa last month, destroying several homes and the Warm Springs oasis, was human-caused.

The fast-moving fire began inside an environmentally-sensitive preserve owned by the Southern Nevada Water Authority then spread to adjacent homes and properties. In all, 600 acres were blackened.

In a report released Friday, it states that a work crew hired by the water authority likely caused the fire.

Landscapers had parked their truck inside the grounds and were using a hot wood chipper to clear the property even though the area was thick with brush and dry palms. The report states that the accidental fire was started by the brush coming into contact with the hot catalytic converter/exhaust system on the truck.

The burned out vehicle and the chipper were left at the site for weeks after the fire but have since been removed.

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