Reno Wildfire Forces 90,000 to Flee as Crews Battle Blaze

Firefighters in Nevada are racing to halt a fast-moving wildfire that has crept dangerously close to residential areas on the outskirts of Reno, prompting evacuation orders for more than 90,000 people.

The blaze, dubbed the Hawk Fire, erupted Saturday in the Sierra Nevada foothills and expanded to over 23 square miles by Sunday. It remains completely uncontained, and authorities are particularly concerned that shifting winds could drive flames into newer, densely built neighborhoods on the edge of Nevada's second-largest city.

At least six people have been injured — three first responders and three civilians. Officials have confirmed the fire was human-caused but have not specified whether it was accidental or intentional.

Social media footage shows charred remains of homes and vehicles, with one image capturing a lone basketball hoop standing amid the destruction. Many residents had only moments to flee as the fire exploded in size.

"Honestly, I thought it was like in a movie," said Ruby Delatorre, who returned from a concert to find her home inside the evacuation zone. She went back Sunday to retrieve a few belongings, adding, "I literally want to cry and go back for all my stuff."

Teresa Lenshyn, another evacuee, described the ordeal as chaotic and stressful. "You don't know if the winds are going to shift and it's going to get worse," she said.

Schools across the county were closed Monday to keep roads clear for emergency crews. Firefighters worked overnight to extinguish hotspots and prevent the fire from jumping a major highway that separates it from homes and businesses.

The Hawk Fire is the third large wildfire in the rugged terrain north of Reno in the past two weeks, all attributed to human activity. The dry conditions plaguing the American West have fueled an active fire season, with more than 50,000 wildfires reported nationwide this year — the most in a decade for this period, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.