In Reno, Nevada, authorities urged over 90,000 residents to evacuate due to a wildfire spreading rapidly in the Sierra Nevada foothills. This out-of-control fire, referred to as the Hawk Fire, has already destroyed homes. The shifting winds pose a risk of pushing flames into densely populated neighborhoods on the city’s outskirts.
Schools in the county closed Monday to clear roads for emergency crews. Firefighters concentrated efforts on keeping the fire from jumping a main highway near residential and business areas. Despite the challenges, the fire grew to over 23 square miles (60 square kilometers) over the weekend near the California state line. As of Sunday, there was zero containment. At least six individuals, including three first responders and three civilians, sustained injuries.
Officials indicated the fire was “human-caused,” but details on whether it was intentional or accidental remain unclear. Social media videos depict smoldering ruins of homes and vehicles. Residents had minimal time to evacuate as the fire surged.
A resident, Ruby Delatorre, stated, “Honestly, I thought it was like in a movie.” She returned on Sunday to retrieve belongings from her home within the evacuation area.
Another evacuee, Teresa Lenshyn, described the situation as chaotic and stressful, expressing concern about unpredictable wind shifts.
The Hawk Fire marks the third significant wildfire in the rugged area north of Reno within two weeks, all attributed to human activities. Across the American West, extremely dry conditions have triggered numerous wildfires this summer. In early August, fires in eastern Washington state led to the evacuation of 60,000 people in Spokane.
Data from the National Interagency Fire Center reports over 50,000 wildfires nationwide, a record for the past decade during the same timeframe.
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