RENO, Nevada (AP) 鈥� Crews have started to contain a in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Reno, Nevada, that destroyed more than 30 homes as it spread perilously close to neighborhoods, officials said Monday.
Containment reached 27% and there was no new growth of the , which has held steady at about 23 square miles (60 square kilometers) since Sunday, authorities said at an afternoon news briefing.
鈥淲e are making progress,鈥� said U.S. Forest Service District Ranger Matt Zumstein.
The number of residents under evacuation orders and warnings was reduced to about 63,000, down from over the weekend. However, there’s still concern that winds could push the flames through dry brush into newly developed and densely packed neighborhoods in Nevada’s largest city outside of metro Las Vegas.
Hawk Fire triggers evacuations and school closures
Schools across Washoe County were closed Monday because of the evacuations and to keep roads clear for emergency crews. Nevada’s governor declared a state of emergency in the county and mobilized the National Guard to help with aerial firefighting and protecting evacuated neighborhoods northwest of downtown Reno.
At one roadblock, residents expressed frustration Monday that they could not get back into their homes.
“There鈥檚 no fire here! Why are the National Guard here?鈥� a driver yelled.
Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said he understands that some residents are frustrated that they can鈥檛 get home but the danger isn鈥檛 over yet. 鈥淚t just takes that little breeze and one ember,鈥� he said.
Wildfires near Reno are blamed on human activity
The fire near the California state line began Saturday and exploded in size on Sunday. At least six people 鈥� three first responders and three civilians 鈥� have been injured.
This is the third large wildfire in the rugged terrain north of Reno in the past two weeks 鈥� all caused by human activity, according to fire officials. They haven’t said whether the Hawk Fire was intentionally set or accidental. Much of the area that burned was sagebrush and grass.
Reno, home to about 280,000 people, is known for its casinos and as a gateway to nearby Lake Tahoe, North America鈥檚 largest alpine lake and a popular vacation destination. It’s also southwest of Nevada鈥檚 Black Rock Desert, site of the annual festival, which begins next Sunday.
Many who travel to Burning Man make Reno a regular stop. But some are saying on social media they should avoid the city so they don鈥檛 take hotel rooms and other resources away from evacuees.
Fire claims a Reno woman’s home for a second time
Videos posted on social media showed the smoldering ruins of homes and cars, with only a scorched basketball hoop still standing.
Crystal Hallock, 53, lost her home to fire for a second time in less than a decade. She moved into the rebuilt house in 2019, a year after an electrical fire burned it down.
On Saturday, with a giant plume of smoke and flames visible on the nearby mountaintop, she fled with her children, grandchildren and pets. Her ex-husband tried to save the property and her vintage Cadillac, grabbing a garden hose as flames melted children鈥檚 toys and burned bushes.
She urged him over the phone to get out and feared the worst when the line went dead. 鈥淗e was saying he can鈥檛 breathe, it鈥檚 so dark I can鈥檛 see, and I鈥檓 screaming at him, 鈥楲eave the car, just leave it,鈥欌�� she said Monday.
Thirty minutes later, he called to say he had gotten out with the car. 鈥淚鈥檓 truly blessed because I have a place to stay with my animals and my grandkids. We were all able to get out safely,” she said from a niece鈥檚 apartment in Reno.
Nevada fire spread quickly in foothills
Many residents had little time to evacuate after the fire exploded in size.
鈥淗onestly, I thought it was like in a movie,鈥� said Ruby Delatorre, who got back from a concert only to find her home in the evacuation zone. She returned Sunday to walk to her house and get a few more possessions.
鈥淚 literally want to cry and go back for all my stuff. I just got what I thought I needed,” Delatorre said.
Some who spotted the smoke on Saturday thought it was from another wildfire that has been burning the past two weeks.
鈥淭he flames were pretty close to my house, and the smoke was really thick, but we have no idea if our house survived or not,鈥� Jon Hanbury said Monday at Reno’s convention center, which is now a shelter.
Wildfire threat remains high in the West
Much of Nevada鈥檚 western edge is under an increased risk of wildfires this week because of high winds and low relative humidity, the National Interagency Fire Center said. The National Weather Service says the region will see warm, dry and breezy conditions, and that critical fire weather conditions are possible in the week’s later half. Reno sits at an elevation of 4,500 feet (1,370 meters).
Extremely dry conditions across the American West have sparked a rash of wildfires this summer. Fires forced the evacuation of in the Spokane area in early August.
Nationwide, there have been more than 鈥� the most over the past 10 years covering the same time period, according to the national fire center.
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Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers Martha Bellisle in Seattle and Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta contributed.
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