A fast-moving wildfire dubbed the Gothic Fire has expanded to about 35,000 acres on public land near the U.S. Air Force’s classified Groom Lake installation, commonly known as Area 51, in southern Nevada. The blaze, first reported around 8 July 4 at roughly 8,000 acres, intensified over the past 12 days, sending thick plumes of smoke visible for miles and sparking widespread online speculation about activity at the restricted military site. State and federal fire crews are battling the flames in remote desert terrain, where high winds and triple-digit temperatures have complicated containment efforts. No injuries or structural damage inside the base have been confirmed, and officials have not indicated any threat to populated areas. The cause of the fire has not been formally determined.