Wildfire in western US’ Nevada destroys dozens of homes, injures 7

Nevada, Aug 25 (IANS) Authorities have said that dozens of homes had been destroyed or damaged and at least seven people injured as a fast-growing wildfire spread rapidly toward Reno, a city in northwestern Nevada near the Nevada-California border in the United States.

The Hawk Fire, which broke out Saturday (local time), had burned more than 15,000 acres (about 60.7 square km) and was 27 per cent contained, local fire officials said on Monday (local time).

Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District Chief Richard Edwards said at a news conference Monday afternoon that the blaze had destroyed at least 32 homes and damaged six others.

Four civilians and three firefighters were injured in the fire, he added.

About 90,000 residents were in areas affected by evacuation warnings and orders, according to InciWeb, a US interagency all-hazard incident information management system, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Reno Police Department said in a Facebook post on Monday that evacuation conditions had improved in some nearby communities, with evacuation orders downgraded from “Evacuate Now” to “Get Set to Evacuate.”

Officials cautioned that while the change was encouraging, the situation remained dynamic and conditions could change rapidly. Residents in affected areas were urged to stay alert, monitor official updates and be prepared to evacuate if necessary.

Reno is the county seat and the most populous city in Washoe County.

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency for Washoe County on Saturday night.

“This is an active and rapidly evolving situation, and I urge everyone in the affected areas to remain vigilant and follow the direction of local officials,” Lombardo said in a statement. “The state is fully engaged, and we are working alongside local authorities and first responders to deploy every available resource to protect lives, safeguard communities, and keep Nevadans out of harm’s way.”

The governor warned again on social media Sunday morning that the fire is still “a rapidly evolving situation.” “Stay vigilant and keep yourself informed if you are in the affected areas,” the governor said.

–IANS

sd/