A wildfire that significantly expanded over the weekend in the Sierra Nevada foothills is dangerously close to neighborhoods in Reno, Nevada. Authorities have urged over 90,000 residents to evacuate their homes.
The blaze has already devoured several homes. Concerns grow that changing winds might drive the fire into newly developed, densely populated areas near the city, Nevada’s second largest. On Monday, schools throughout the county closed to facilitate the evacuation process and clear roads for emergency personnel.
As of late Sunday, officials mentioned that the Hawk Fire had remained within its existing boundaries. Firefighters concentrated on extinguishing hotspots and preventing the fire from crossing a major highway into residential and commercial zones. The fire erupted on Saturday and expanded to over 23 square miles (60 square kilometers) by Sunday, affecting foothill areas near neighborhoods close to the California state line. No part of the fire was contained.
The disaster has resulted in injuries to at least six individuals, including three first responders and three civilians. Authorities confirmed the fire’s human origin but did not clarify whether it was started deliberately or accidentally. Social media videos revealed the remnants of homes and vehicles, with one video showing a burned-out basketball hoop still standing.
Residents had to leave swiftly after the fire escalated. Ruby Delatorre, returning home from a concert, discovered her house was in the evacuation zone. She returned on Sunday to retrieve a few essential belongings, expressing regret that she couldn’t take more.
Another evacuee, Teresa Lenshyn, described the chaos and stress of leaving. She expressed concerns about the unpredictability of the winds worsening the situation.
The Hawk Fire is the third significant wildfire in the challenging northern terrain of Reno in recent weeks. All have been linked to human activity. The summer has seen extremely dry conditions ignite numerous wildfires across the American West. Earlier, fires in eastern Washington state led to 60,000 evacuations in Spokane in early August.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, more than 50,000 wildfires have occurred nationwide this year, marking a peak in the past decade for the same time period.
John Seeer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Contributions also came from John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia, and Jack Brook in New Orleans, representing the Associated Press.