A wildfire that erupted over the weekend in the hills north of Reno, Nevada has destroyed at least 32 homes, damaged 6 others, and forced 42,000 people to evacuate, officials said Monday afternoon. The fire, known as the Hawk Fire, burned through brush in the hills northwest of the city and threatened the community of Somersett before fire crews were able to stop its advance.
Containment lines went from zero to 27% over the course of Monday, according to the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District. Chief Richard Edwards announced the progress at a news conference but was direct about what is still unknown. "We expect those numbers to increase as damage assessment teams are still out in the field assessing other areas right now," Edwards said.
Mandatory evacuation orders have been lifted in some areas, and the number of people under active evacuation orders dropped from 42,000 to 23,000. However, an additional 40,000 people remain under an evacuation warning. At least four civilians and three first responders have been injured, Edwards said.
About 900 firefighters and other first responders are working the fire from the ground and from the air, according to ABC News. Around 10,000 utility customers remained without power on Monday, a significant drop from the roughly 60,000 who lost power at the peak of the blaze.
A preliminary investigation found the fire was human-caused. Officials said they had not yet determined whether it was set intentionally or accidentally. "We do know it was human-caused because there were no natural ignition sources that were present in that area," Edwards said at a news conference on Sunday.
Weather conditions on Monday were mild relative to the weekend, with temperatures in the mid-80s, gusts up to 25 mph, and relative humidity around 25%. Tuesday is expected to bring higher temperatures in the upper 80s and stronger gusts between 25 and 30 mph. Fire officials warned in an update that "hot, dry and breezy conditions are expected to continue supporting active fire behavior over the next 48 hours."
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency for Washoe County. The Washoe County School District canceled all classes, events and activities on Monday. "The decision to close schools is due to evacuations, impacts on the regional public safety resources, and to help keep roads clear for emergency vehicle," the school district said in a statement. Northwest Specialty Hospital in Reno announced it had evacuated patients from the facility over the weekend as a precaution.
