Flames have scorched more than 15,000 acres in Reno, Nevada, as strong winds and dry conditions fuel the blaze, forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes. Credit: Tim Walton via APTN.
Around 90,000 people have been urged to evacuate their homes due to a "human-caused" wildfire in Nevada, which has been burning since Saturday.
Flames were seen rapidly advancing down a hillside towards the Nevada city of Reno, growing to 23 square miles as the blaze spread across the Peavine Peak area of the Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest.
It's been named the Hawk Fire because it was first reported near the Hawk Meadow Trail, to the west of Reno.
Six people have been injured, including three civilians and three first responders, Shane Akerson from the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District explained.
Fire officials said the blaze has already scorched more than 15,000 acres and was 0% contained as of Sunday evening.
Governor of Nevada, Joe Lombardo, declared a state of emergency in Washoe County, which includes Reno and parts of Lake Tahoe.
“This is an active and rapidly evolving situation, and I urge everyone in the affected areas to remain vigilant,” Lombardo wrote on X.
Residents described how they were 'scared to death' of the wildfires as they evacuated their homes
The Nevada National Guard was deployed to support aerial firefighting with two helicopter crews, as well as 60 troops.
About 1,000 personnel, including 800 firefighters, have been fighting the blaze, fuelled by strong winds, low humidity and dry conditions.
Officials said the wildfire was "human-caused", but how it started was still under investigation. There is no indication the fire was started intentionally.
On Sunday, 42,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes as the “GO NOW” warning zone expanded, reaching the edge of the University of Nevada. A further 45,000 in the neighbouring area were urged to leave as firefighters continue to tackle hot spots.
At least two medical centres have evacuated patients. Casinos and hotels in Reno, such as Silver Legacy Resort, are offering discounted rooms to those fleeing the Hawk Fire.
Authorities urged people to be prepared to stay away for several days, as shifting and strengthening winds could make the fire even more intense and unpredictable.
“Please get out if you can right now,” Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said.
It is not known how many homes have been destroyed. One resident, Cari Kieffer, saw a video posted on social media that showed her house had entirely burned down, leaving only a basketball hoop still standing.
“I woke up this morning and just started crying — all my kids, they lost everything,” Ms Kieffer said on Sunday.
“We lost all our stuff. Everything we own is gone,” she said.
Ms Kieffer had been watching her son's football game on Saturday when she learned her home was in the fire evacuation zone.
A fire tracking app lagged significantly behind the blaze's actual location, so she thought her home was safe when it was not.
Ms Kieffer, her husband and their four children, aged three to 16, raced to save their dogs and whatever possessions they could retrieve. Ash rained down, and the wind blew like an oven blast from a wall of flames advancing down the hillside toward their neighborhood, she said.
She grabbed a handful of clothes, a Bible, her wedding photos and her mother’s ashes, but family photos and birth certificates were lost in the blaze.
“I kept looking outside, and the flames just kept getting closer and closer every time I looked,” Kieffer said. “I was like, we gotta go like now.”
GoFundMe fundraisers have been set up for affected families.
Nearly 10,000 customers were without power in Washoe County on Sunday, down from 60,000 on Saturday. Sections of US Route 395, a major north-south motorway, were closed due to the fire.
Reno is Nevada's largest city outside of Las Vegas, with a population of more than 280,000 residents.
The city is no stranger to blazes like this, as months of dry weather and a record lack of snow over winter have created prime fire conditions.
On Saturday alone, 15 new fires popped up across Nevada. Earlier this month, wildfires in eastern Washington state forced the evacuation of 60,000 people in the Spokane area, while three wildfires north of Reno forced more than 13,000 residents from their homes.
Containing the fire will be difficult as southwest winds will strengthen on Monday afternoon, with gusts reaching 20 to 25 mph while conditions remain dry.
Even stronger winds are possible Tuesday through Thursday, when gusts could reach 35mph, or 40mph in wind-prone areas.
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