Tens of thousands ordered to evacuate in Nevada as fire threatens Reno

NEW YORK: Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated this weekend from the area of Reno, Nevada, ​and many others were under orders to leave on Sunday as a ‌wildfire reached the outskirts of the state’s third-most-populous city.

About 42,000 residents have been displaced or are in active evacuations with an additional 45,000 in “be prepared to evacuate” status as the Hawk Fire threatened ​northern Reno, local officials said late Sunday morning.

Local TV footage showed flames approaching ​roads. In eyewitness video verified by Reuters, smoke from the hills billowed ⁠over nearby residential neighborhoods.

Fire-tracking websites showed evacuation zones extending from the Sierra Nevada ​hills to the University of Nevada in northwest Reno.

The fire has burned 13,000 acres (5,261 hectares) ​so far, officials said at a press conference on Sunday. The fire was human-caused and remains under investigation, they said.

Three civilians and three first responders have been injured, said Shane Akerson, a commander leading ​fire and rescue operations.

Brush fire in Nevada grows to over 10,500 acres

Officials first received reports of a fire off Hawk Meadow Trail ​at about 11:15 a.m. PDT (1815 GMT) on Saturday, said Richard Edwards, chief of Truckee Meadows Fire Protection ‌District. ⁠Firefighters on Saturday worked amid “extreme red flag conditions,” he said.

Red flag conditions are a combination of warm temperatures, very low humidity and strong winds that raise the risk of wildfires.

“We expect those same strong conditions to come back this afternoon,” Edwards said on ​Sunday.

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo ​declared a state of ⁠emergency late Saturday in Washoe County, which includes Reno and parts of Lake Tahoe.

“This is an active and rapidly evolving situation, ​and I urge everyone in the affected areas to remain vigilant ​and follow ⁠the direction of local officials,” Lombardo said in a statement.

Lombardo authorized the deployment of two National Guard helicopters to help fight fires and 60 National Guard personnel to support operations with ⁠the ​Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, officials said.

The Reno-Tahoe International Airport ​remained outside the evacuation area, and commercial flights were operating normally on Sunday.