Thousands of people were evacuated from Reno, Nevada, and hundreds of others were ordered to leave their homes this Sunday, after a wildfire reached the outskirts of the third most populous city in the state located in the western U.S.
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According to Reuters, local officials reported that this morning about 42,000 residents had already been displaced and another 45,000 were in “preparation to evacuate” this afternoon, because the Hawk fire was already threatening the northern part of the city located near the California border.
The fire, which was spreading rapidly after starting on Saturday, led Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo to declare a state of emergency in Washoe County, which includes Reno and parts of Lake Tahoe.
The fire has already spread to cover more than 5,000 hectares, according to reports in the last hours at a press conference.
Regarding this, Shane Akerson, one of the three incident coordinators of the Truckee Meadow Fire Protection District, also indicated that the fire was caused by a man and that the investigation is ongoing.
Akerson also said that assessments are being made to determine how many structures have been lost and that around 5,000 people were without electricity.
Sheriff Darin Balaam, for his part, urged residents in the yellow zones to evacuate as soon as possible, if possible, to avoid possible traffic jams when leaving the densely populated area.
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Authorities also reported that three civilians and three rescuers were injured, but none of the injuries are serious, as CNN verified after speaking with Reno Fire Chief David Cochran.
According to Richard Edwards, head of the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, firefighters received the first reports of a fire near Hawk Meadow Trail around 11:15 a.m. on Saturday (2:15 p.m. Chile time).
Edwards added that professionals have been working since then amid “extreme red alert conditions”, which occur when warm temperatures, very low humidity, and strong winds combine, increasing the risk of wildfires.
Governor Lombardo stated in a release that “this is an active and rapidly evolving situation, and I urge everyone in the affected areas to remain vigilant and follow the instructions of local authorities”.
According to CNN, Lombardo authorized the deployment of two National Guard helicopters to help fight the fires and 60 National Guard personnel to support operations of the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.
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