Hawk fire in Nevada destroys atleast 32 homes, leaves 7 injured

A fast-growing wildfire in the western US state of Nevada has destroyed or damaged dozens of homes and injured at least seven people as it spread towards Reno, near the Nevada-California border, authorities said.
According to agency reports, the Hawk Fire, which broke out on Saturday, has scorched more than 15,000 acres (about 60.7 square kilometres) and was 27 per cent contained as of Monday. Fire officials said there had been no new growth since the blaze reached about 23 square miles.Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District Chief Richard Edwards said at least 32 homes had been destroyed and six others damaged. Four civilians and three firefighters were injured in the fire.

Crews have started to contain a wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Reno, Nevada, that destroyed more than 30 homes as it spread perilously close to neighborhoods, officials said Monday. Video recorded by observers on Saturday captured the fast-growing Hawk Fire which… pic.twitter.com/RGp6XHym2W

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According to media reports, the number of people under evacuation orders and warnings fell to about 63,000 on Monday from more than 90,000 as conditions improved in some communities. Authorities downgraded some evacuation orders from “Evacuate Now” to “Get Set to Evacuate”, but warned that conditions remained dynamic and could change quickly.Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and mobilised the National Guard to support firefighting efforts and protect evacuated neighbourhoods. Schools across the county were also closed as crews worked to contain the blaze and keep roads clear for emergency operations.
Fire officials said firefighters were making progress as winds eased, but hot temperatures, low humidity and dry vegetation continued to pose a threat. Officials warned that even a small gust could carry embers into nearby residential areas.The fire began near the California state line on Saturday and rapidly expanded on Sunday. Authorities said it was one of three major wildfires in the rugged area north of Reno in the past two weeks that have been linked to human activity. They have not yet determined whether the Hawk Fire was accidental or deliberately started.

Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve stated the speed at which the fire spread had raised serious concerns as flames moved towards densely populated areas. Residents described having little time to evacuate, with some returning to shelters unsure whether their homes had survived.Reno, home to about 280,000 people, is Nevada’s largest city outside the Las Vegas metropolitan area and serves as a gateway to Lake Tahoe. The city has also been dealing with increased wildfire risks as dry and windy conditions persist across the American West.The National Interagency Fire Center has warned of heightened wildfire danger along much of western Nevada this week, with warm, dry and breezy conditions expected. Nationwide, more than 50,000 wildfires have been recorded so far this year, the highest number for the same period in a decade, according to the agency.