Reno wildfire prompts 42,000 evacuations, mayor says

A fast-moving wildfire near Reno, Nevada, has prompted about 42,000 people to evacuate, Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve told CNN.

Schieve said another 45,000 people had been told to be ready to leave as the Hawk Fire moved toward the city on Sunday. The one-day-old fire had grown to 15,040 acres, or 6,087 hectares, by Sunday afternoon and was burning five miles northwest of Reno, according to InciWeb, a US government wildfire information site.

Local media reported that the blaze had destroyed some mountaintop homes and injured six people, including three first responders. InciWeb described the fire as showing “extreme fire behavior.”

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County, where Reno is located. His order said the fire was spreading quickly and threatening homes and structures.

Local fire chief Richard Edwards urged people to be ready to evacuate immediately when told to do so, or sooner. He said the wind-driven fire could move rapidly into residential areas.