Hawk wildfire puts thousands under evacuation orders near Reno, Nevada

Aug. 24 (UPI) — About 42,000 people in the Reno, Nev., area were ordered to evacuate from their homes on Monday as firefighters battled a wildfire on the Sierra Nevada foothills.

The Hawk Fire burned more than 15,000 acres as it drew closer to the northern edge of Reno. Fire officials said Monday that progress was being made but incoming high winds late Monday and later this week pose a threat.

The fire started Saturday northwest of Reno and made a steady crawl toward the city. About 87,000 people in Reno and Washoe County were urged to evacuate, though about 42,000 were under official evacuation orders.

Reno has a population of about 300,000 people.

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo issued a state of emergency for Washoe County and called on the Nevada National Guard for aid. The National Guard dispatched Chinook and Black Hawk helicopters to provide support to fire crews.

“The #HawkFire is still a rapidly evolving situation,” Lombardo posted on social media. “Stay vigilant and keep yourself informed if you are in the affected areas.”

Six people have been injured, including three firefighters.

Dozens of roads in the region ere closed to traffic and two healthcare facilities evacuated patients. The Reno-Stead Airport as closed to “general air traffic” as of Sunday, while the Reno-Tahoe International Airport remained open Monday.