Several wildfires are smoking up areas between Pahrump and Las Vegas and have forced the closing of one of the region's premier recreation attractions.

One relatively large fire was active in the Lovell Canyon area north of Highway 160 between Pahrump and Mountain Springs.

The 1,200-acre Picnic fire was burning near and in the canyon, said Bureau of Land Management public affairs specialist Hillerie C. Patton yesterday morning. The smaller Bootleg fire, in the same area, was contained earlier. It charred about four or five acres, Patton said.

The Lovell Canyon Road was closed to incoming traffic at that time, she said, and no injuries had been reported.

Both the Lovell Canyon and Lowell Summit roads were closed, Patton said yesterday afternoon. The fire was being fought by more than 50 firefighters supported by helicopter and plane resources and "at least five engines," Patton reported.

She said she was not sure of the exact location but that the flames were threatening power lines in the Torino Ranch area.

In and around Red Rock Canyon, on the east side of the Spring Mountains, the Loop Complex of six separate fires was burning.

The Red Rock fires ranged in scale from five acres down to a tenth of an acre. One resident of western Las Vegas said the entire area smelled of smoke.

Patton said the visitor center was expected to re-open during the morning, and the scenic loop yesterday afternoon.