More than 40,000 flee as fast-moving wildfire nears Reno in western US

Officials in Nevada urged residents to evacuate Sunday as a fast-moving, wind-driven wildfire approached Reno, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes.

Around 42,000 residents had evacuated and another 45,000 were told to prepare to leave, Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve told CNN.

The Hawk Fire, which began a day earlier, had burned about 6,087 hectares by Sunday afternoon and was spreading roughly 8 kilometres northwest of Reno, a city with more than 280,000 residents.

The blaze has destroyed several homes in mountainous areas and injured six people, including three first responders, according to local media reports.

The fire was exhibiting “extreme fire behavior”, InciWeb, the US government’s wildfire information service, said. Images shared by local firefighters showed flames and huge plumes of smoke rising from mountains overlooking the city.

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County, where Reno is located, warning that the fire was spreading rapidly and threatening homes and other structures.

Local fire chief Richard Edwards urged residents to be prepared to evacuate immediately when ordered and, if necessary, leave before official evacuation orders are issued.

“The Hawk Fire is a very dynamic incident for us as it’s being driven by the winds,” Edwards said, warning that wind-driven fires can move rapidly into residential areas.

Reno lies in northwestern Nevada near the California border and the Lake Tahoe tourist region in the Sierra Nevada mountains.