A fast-growing wildfire in northwest Reno, Nevada, remained uncontained and was determined to be human-caused, authorities said Sunday. Officials expanded the “GO NOW” evacuation zone and urged about 90,000 people to evacuate or prepare to leave.About 42,000 residents were under evacuation orders, while another 45,000 were in an adjacent evacuation warning zone. Authorities urged everyone in both areas to leave and be prepared to remain away for several days, warning that shifting, strengthening winds could make the fire increasingly unpredictable.The “Hawk Fire” began on Saturday and quickly grew to about 20 square miles (53 sq km) as it spread through the Peavine Peak area of the Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest, where rugged foothills are surrounded by homes and businesses near the California state line.The blaze advanced exceptionally quickly, jumping over fire trucks and hampering firefighters’ efforts to reach hotspots as residents fled the area.Several structures were destroyed, and six people — three civilians and three first responders — were injured. Authorities did not provide further details about the fire’s cause, saying the investigation was ongoing.
Governor declares state of emergency
Nevada governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and mobilised the Nevada National Guard to support aerial firefighting operations with two helicopter crews. Another 60 troops were deployed to help law enforcement secure evacuated neighborhoods.Nearly 10,000 customers remained without power, down from about 60,000 on Saturday. Portions of US Route 395, a major north-south highway, were also closed because of the fire. Reno, with more than 280,000 residents, is Nevada’s largest city outside the Las Vegas metropolitan area.Washoe County emergency officials opened the Reno-Sparks Convention Center to evacuees but asked them not to bring pets. Separate shelters were designated for small and large animals. Reno casinos also offered discounted hotel rooms to people displaced by the fire.
New fires pop up
Nevada saw 15 new fires on Saturday alone. Earlier this month, wildfires in eastern Washington state forced about 60,000 people to evacuate the Spokane area, while three wildfires north of Reno displaced more than 13,000 residents.Meanwhile, communities just outside the evacuation zone remained on alert.The University of Nevada, Reno, where many of its 20,000 undergraduate students moved into campus housing over the weekend, was just outside the evacuation zone Sunday.Two hospitals evacuated patients, while the sheriff’s office closely monitored conditions to determine whether the county jail would also need to be evacuated.(With AP inputs)