Your Daily Guide

Yeah, it’s a dramatic headline, but one that happens to be true. The Quail Springs Fire in Lincoln County has spread to more than 11,000 acres within the Nevada National Security Site — where they used to blow up atomic bombs. The flames are roughly 10 miles from KXTA, the military airport that services Area 51. [Watch Duty]

• Video of the fire suggests Area 51 radar equipment on Bald Mountain could be threatened. [Dreamland Resort]
• The cause? Lightning. [Bureau of Land Management]
• The weather could make things worse. Erratic winds, low humidity, and high temperatures are fueling the conditions for the wildfire to spread. [KSNV]
• The fire is north of Las Vegas, which is bracing for what could be the hottest weekend of the year with 117 degrees predicted for Saturday and Sunday. Death Valley could reach 130 degrees 🥵 [Las Vegas Review-Journal/AccuWeather]
• High temperatures thin the air, which is less efficient for aircraft. That prompted airlines to enforce weight restrictions over the weekend at Harry Reid, offering travelers high-dollar vouchers to reschedule flights. [KSNV]

👷 Boring Co. Aims Drill Towards Airport

The Boring Co. is in active negotiations to have Vegas Loop tunnel stations on property at Harry Reid International Airport. LVCVA president and CEO Steve Hill is on board with the idea, saying “the airport has been talked about for decades with the monorail,” without a hint of irony. For now, a Vegas Loop station near Paradise and Tropicana is closer to reality with a shuttle service planned for airport customers. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

• Despite recent drops in SpaceX and Tesla stock, Elon Musk is already looking to take the Boring Co. public in another possible IPO. There’s chatter of raising about $4 billion in a private round of funding, giving the company a valuation in the neighborhood of $20 billion. [24/7 Wall St.]

🤑 The A’s Play a New Version of Moneyball

We already told you about Mark Cuban’s investment group buying a share of the A’s — and now, Team61 is committing up to $70 million to get in on the action too. The group includes former pitcher Chan Ho Park, making him the first Korean to purchase a stake in a major league club. [ESPN]

🪧 Hate Escalates for Data Centers

Add Pahrump to the list of places where local opposition is gathering momentum for a planned data center — in this case, a 900-acre “technology campus.” [KVVU]

• Environmental groups are formally challenging plans for a data center on BLM land near Boulder City. [KSNV]

🤔 How Soon Until Vegas Has 3 Million People?

Between home construction and highway traffic, it’s pretty obvious we’re seeing a local population boom — although the rate of growth is slowing down sooner than expected. Clark County was on pace to reach 3 million residents by 2045, but the numbers were recently revised and it’s now believed we won’t reach that milestone until 2055. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

• City Cast Las Vegas takes a closer look at the UNLV study behind the prediction in today’s news roundup, plus Nevada’s role in the next presidential election and the joy of spotting beavers — yes beavers!! 🦫 — in Wetlands Park. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]