FILES // BATTLE MOUNTAIN

Bigfoot on Battle Mountain

Battle Mountain, circa August 5th 1999. Battle Mountain.

Battle Mountain is a strategically located town of 4,000 people on Interstate 80, at the junction with Nevada State Route 305. Known as the ‘Armpit of America’ the town takes you right back to the 1950s with its cowboy-esque decor, diners, motels and rolling hills you would never know that over 23 years ago, conspiracy, secrets and a government cover-up struck the town.

The state of Nevada is not new to the world of conspiracy, cover-ups and strange happenings. Home to Area-51, the infamous secretive test and training range hounded by theories of out-of-this-world goings-on.

But aliens may not have been the only thing lurking in the shadows of the silver state…

On August 5th, 1999, Battle Mountain, Nevada, exploded into several simultaneous range fires started by lightning strikes as convective thunderstorms formed in the hot dry august air over Battle Mountain Nevada. This area is a mining district riddled with abandoned mining tunnels and shafts. The juniper and scrubby sagebrush of the mountainous terrain around Battle Mountain exploded into several simultaneous range fires in what would eventually be known as the Battle Mountain complex fire. Additional resources were sent in to assist in putting out hundreds of lightning-sparked fires that had scorched an estimated 300 square miles of range area in northern Nevada with over 610 firefighters being sent to the area in a desperate attempt to control the spread of the blaze. While concentrating their efforts on inhabited regions, firefighters were forced to leave some fires unattended in remote northeastern and north-central Nevada. The fire consumed 70,000 to 180,000 acres of land, habitats and wildlife were destroyed, and animals perished. And by early afternoon on August 7th, the force of the blaze brought out a mysterious creature, desperately trying to save itself.

Between 20 and 30 firefighters were on scene to witness the injured creature wandering in front of them, a witness would later describe how it felt like whatever it was, it wanted their attention, it wanted their help. The firefighters circled around the creature but a witness would later say that their precautions weren’t necessary, the witness would recount how it "seemed to realize that he was captured" and "he just gave up."

The muscular creature standing at around 7’5” feet tall was injured, badly. Burns covered its body, its hair was tinged and it omitted an odd smell, described as equine-like. The creature was witnessed staggering around by up to 30 people, though accounts of the incident are far and few. It was clear though, whatever it was, it was on the brink of death. The medics hooked it up to an IV and worked together to get it laid on a spine board in order to transport it. The creature hung over the edges of the board, it’s 7ft stature threatened to overwhelm the plastic beneath it. By this point, news of the blaze was spreading and officials didn’t want a marked ambulance leaving the area, for fear of word spreading that one of the fire crew had died trying to slow the flames.

“I observed an animal wounded by fire moving on all fours not like bear. More like ape. Fire fighters captured animal, contacted local vet and medical doctor. U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Interior, and Bureau of Land Management on the scene. Animal tranquilized and moved to unknown location. Those at scene told not to talk about what they saw. Animal approx. 7.5 feet long/tall, human-like arms and legs, face not like man or ape but mixed between. Genitalia: male, uncircumcised and human-like. Hair covering most of body except chest, chest has hair but sparse, hands with sparse hair, palms bare, with five digits with human opposition of thumb and 5th digit. Speech - attempted to communicate with care-givers once it realized they were attempting to care for it. Multiple bums to hands, feet, legs, and body; some 2nd and 3rd degree bums, using "rule of nines" approx. 45 percent of body with bums. Doctor and Vet working together providing care and moved it to unknown location locally. This notice given in violation of orders given by BLM, DOl and DF&W. Witnesses numbered in the area of 20 - 25. Word is out in the government agencies and among the firefighters, since an M.D. was called out. Many thought a firefighter was injured. Please note that I am a government employee of one of the listed agencies fighting brush fire in wilderness area of Nevada, (large scale fire approx 70,000 acres burned) and under orders not to disclose information. I believe a cover-up is in the making, people need to know, the animal needs to be kept alive and studied and released in protected area.”