Wildfire Near Reno Forces Evacuation of 90,000 as Crews Battle Blaze

A wildfire that mushroomed over the weekend in the Sierra Nevada foothills spread perilously close to neighborhoods in Reno, Nevada, forcing authorities to urge more than 90,000 residents to leave their homes. The out-of-control fire has already burned some homes, but there’s concern that shifting winds could push the flames into newly developed and densely packed neighborhoods in Nevada’s largest city outside of metro Las Vegas.

Schools across Washoe County were closed Monday because of the evacuations and to keep roads clear for emergency crews. Nevada’s governor declared a state of emergency in the county and mobilized the National Guard to help with aerial firefighting and protecting evacuated neighborhoods northwest of downtown Reno.

Authorities said late Sunday that the Hawk Fire had stayed in its footprint and firefighters were extinguishing hotspots while working to keep the fire from jumping a main highway and reaching homes and businesses. There was zero containment. The fire began Saturday and grew to more than 60 square kilometers (23 square miles) on Sunday. At least six people — three first responders and three civilians — have been injured. Officials said the fire was "human-caused" but did not say whether it was intentionally set or accidental.

Videos posted on social media showed the smoldering ruins of homes and cars, with only a scorched basketball hoop still standing. Satellite imagery from the European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-2 via Reuters showed the Hawk Fire encroaching on built-up areas.

Many residents had little time to evacuate after the fire exploded in size. "Honestly, I thought it was like in a movie," said Ruby Delatorre, who got back from a concert only to find her home in the evacuation zone. She returned Sunday to walk to her home and get a few more possessions. "I literally want to cry and go back for all my stuff. I just got what I thought I needed," she said.

At a roadblock in one neighborhood, residents expressed frustration Monday that they could not get back into their homes. "There’s no fire here! Why are the National Guard here?" a driver yelled.

The Hawk Fire is the third large wildfire in the rugged terrain north of Reno in the past two weeks — all caused by human activity, according to fire officials. They haven’t said whether the Hawk Fire was intentionally set or accidental.

Reno, home to about 280,000 people, is known for its casinos and as a gateway to nearby Lake Tahoe, North America’s largest alpine lake and a popular vacation destination. It’s also about 120 miles southwest of Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, site of the annual Burning Man festival, which begins Aug. 30. Some people on social media said travelers should avoid Reno so they do not take hotel rooms and other resources away from evacuees.

Evacuee Teresa Lenshyn said being forced to leave was chaotic and stressful. "You don't know if the winds are going to shift and it's going to get worse," she said.

Extremely dry conditions across the American West have sparked a rash of wildfires this summer. Fires in eastern Washington state forced the evacuation of 60,000 people in the Spokane area in early August. Nationwide, there have been more than 50,000 wildfires, the most over the past 10 years covering the same time period, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

The National Interagency Fire Center said much of Nevada's western edge is under an increased risk of wildfires this week because of high winds and low relative humidity. The National Weather Service said the region will see warm, dry and breezy conditions, and that critical fire weather conditions are possible in the week's later half.