Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Tens of thousands of people remained evacuated from their homes around the western US city of Reno on Monday as a wind-driven fire raced through the parched landscape. Schools were shuttered as smoke swathed the city in western Nevada, near the California border, home to around 280,000 people. Around 42,000 people have been forced to evacuate and an additional 45,000 have been told to get ready to leave, Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve told CNN.
The Hawk Fire began on Saturday and had grown to 15,051 acres (6,091 hectares) by Monday, showing “extreme fire behavior,” according to InciWeb, a US government website that tracks fire activity. The fire was burning five miles (eight kilometers) northwest of the city. No deaths have been reported, but at least six people have been injured — including three first responders — with several mountaintop houses destroyed, according to local media. Officials said the fire was “human-caused,” but did not say how it started.
More than 700 firefighters were tackling the blaze, using fire engines, helicopters, and bulldozers, in an effort to clear the tinder-dry brush. “Over the next 12 hours, the fire is expected to continue making moderate- to high-intensity runs in pockets of dense fuels,” said a statement from firefighters. “Over the next 24 hours, backing fire with periods of running fire behavior is possible where fuels, wind, and topography align. Hot, dry and breezy conditions are expected to continue supporting active fire behavior over the next 48 hours. The fire has the potential to spread northeast and northwest, and conditions remain dynamic and subject to rapid change.”
Pictures posted on X by the fire service showed flames and towering smoke clouds over mountains overlooking the city. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County. The Hawk Fire “is spreading quickly and threatening homes and structures,” his order said. Local fire chief Richard Edwards urged people to be ready to evacuate immediately when told to do so. “The Hawk Fire is a very dynamic incident for us as it’s being driven by the winds. The wind-driven fires move very rapidly into our residential areas,” he said. “If you have been told to evacuate, please don’t wait!” Schieve, the Reno mayor, said.
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