A massive fire has broken out near the highly classified Area 51 base in Nevada, sparking theories that a secret weapon was recently tested.
The blaze, dubbed the Quail Springs Fire, sparked on Saturday and has since burned through more than 4,400 acres.
The fire is located in Lincoln County, Nevada, just south of Rachel, burning near Bald Mountain on the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) withdrawn lands.
As of Monday, zero percent of the wildfire is contained as it spreads within the Nevada Test and Training Range, a military training area restricted to the public.
While officials said the fire was started by lightning, online users believe something more sinister is at play. Commenting on a livestream showing the blaze outside of Area 51, many people suggested a secret weapon was to blame.
‘I don’t want to be that guy, but I wonder if they’re testing DEW (Directed Energy Weapons), and this is the result of such,’ one viewer shared, referring to advanced systems that use lasers, high-power microwaves or particle beams to destroy targets.
Another commented, ‘Maybe they tested a new dumb weapon and blew themselves up lol,’ while another suggested the fire was to ‘burn the evidence’ of aliens.
Area 51 has become a cultural phenomenon thanks to decades of conspiracy theories connecting the base to UFOs, aliens and experimental aircraft testing.
Officials noted that no evacuations have been ordered, and no structures are threatened.
They also said no residences or public spaces are currently threatened.
YouTuber Dreamland Resort captured footage of the fire, showing columns of smoke around Bald Mountain, the highest peak in the Groom Range, located directly inside the restricted military zone of Area 51.
The fire is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense, which is listed as the landowner for Area 51 and surrounding regions.
‘The Quail Springs Fire experienced moderate growth, primarily due to winds, high temperatures, and low relative humidity,’ according to officials with the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM), one of the agencies working to control the blaze.
‘Firefighters are utilizing a confine and contain strategy, rather than full suppression.’
Twenty-six personnel are currently assigned to the fire under the direction of a Type 3 incident commander.
Because the blaze is burning inside a restricted military training area, crews are working to contain it rather than attempting a direct attack.
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