MARK SMITH / PVT The firefighter at right slugs down a long drink of cold water as the one at left kneels and doffs his helmet in the 112-degree heat Wednesday afternoon on Blackrock Avenue. Advertisement

For most people the Fourth of July meant barbecues and a relaxing time spent with family.

But for the Pahrump Valley Fire Rescue Service, and indeed fire departments all across the country, it's been a busy time of year.

According to Fire Chief Scott Lewis, this version was no exception.

Lewis said there were half a dozen brush fires started by fireworks in the week before the big day, including one that broke out Thursday morning.

"The brush fires are on par with what we expect for this time of year," Lewis said.

In addition, a Saturday structure fire resulted from fireworks, and the fire department is investigating a double-wide trailer fire in which fireworks may have played a role.

"Two structure fires is a little out of the ordinary," Lewis conceded.

He added that the double-wide burn began on the exterior of the structure near the intersection of Blackrock Avenue and Country Way at mid-afternoon July Fourth. He said a fire investigator has not determined the actual cause.

Two individuals who were inside at the time escaped unharmed. A firefighter was overcome by heat exhaustion -- an automated National Weather Service site here recorded the temperature at that time at 112 degrees -- and taken to Desert View Regional Medical Center, from which he was later released with no harm done.

Lewis said it was likely that the double-wide was a total loss. An interior attack on the fire was aborted when the roof began to collapse, he said, and a large volume of water was cascaded across the roof to suppress the flames.

The professional fireworks shows, however, posed very little problems for the department.

The show at Petrack Park resulted in two spot fires on the shooting site that were easily taken care of, and the show at the Pahrump Nugget on Wednesday had no incidents.

"That's the difference when professionals do it," Lewis said.

The fire chief said that fires caused from early or belated Fourth of July pyrotechnics would probably die down by this weekend.

As far as the effectiveness of precautions in place to avoid fires, such as having designated shooting ranges and having people get permits to shoot off fireworks there, Lewis was uncertain.

"The effectiveness would depend on the location chosen and if people follow the intent of the ordinance," Lewis said.

[Mark Smith helped with this article.]