An out-of-control wildfire that jumped over fire trucks and raced through rugged foothills destroyed homes in northwest Reno, Nevada, on Sunday, forcing about 90,000 people to evacuate as shifting winds hampered firefighting efforts. Officials said the blaze was human-caused but did not say whether it was set intentionally or accidentally.
The Hawk Fire began Saturday and grew to more than 23 square miles as it spread across the Peavine Peak area of the Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest, where homes and businesses ring the foothills near the California state line. There was zero containment by Sunday evening, and authorities reported extreme fire behavior as gusts pushed flames through dry brush.
At least six people were injured, including three first responders and three civilians. Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam urged residents to leave immediately. "Please get out if you can right now," he said. Authorities warned that shifting and strengthening winds were expected to make the fire even more unpredictable and advised people to be prepared to stay away for several days.
About 42,000 residents were under mandatory evacuation orders in the expanded "GO NOW" zone, which reached the edge of the University of Nevada. An additional 45,000 people were in an adjacent evacuation warning zone. It was not known how many homes were destroyed.
Cari Kieffer said a video posted on social media showed her house entirely burned down, with only a scorched basketball hoop still standing. She had been watching her son's football game Saturday when she learned their home on the outskirts of Reno was in the evacuation zone. An app the family used to track the fire's progress had been lagging significantly behind its actual location, so they thought firefighters had kept the blaze from their neighborhood.
Instead, Kieffer, her husband and their four children ages 3 to 16 raced to save their dogs and whatever possessions they could retrieve. Ash rained down, and the wind blew like an oven blast from a wall of flames advancing down the hillside. "I kept looking outside and the flames just kept getting closer and closer every time I looked," Kieffer said. "I was like, we gotta go like now."
With eyes watering and throat burning, Kieffer grabbed a handful of clothes, a Bible, her wedding photos and her mother's ashes. In the frenzy, as firefighters yelled at her family to leave immediately, she said she forgot the family's birth certificates and was unable to salvage her childhood photos. The family drove to a friend's home but had to evacuate again. They learned later Saturday evening that their own home was gone. "We lost all our stuff. Everything we own is gone," she said Sunday.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and mobilized the Nevada National Guard to support aerial firefighting with two helicopter crews as well as 60 troops to help police safeguard evacuated neighborhoods. About 800 fire personnel were responding. Nearly 10,000 customers were without power in Washoe County on Sunday, down from 60,000 on Saturday. Portions of U.S. Route 395, a major north-south highway, were closed due to the fire.
Washoe County emergency officials opened the Reno-Sparks Convention Center to evacuees, though pets were not allowed there and were to be left at two other locations. Casinos in Reno offered discounts on hotel rooms to evacuees.
The fire turned destructive fast. Tyler Duvall, who went camping over the weekend, said the fire was so small Saturday morning that it wasn't even a concern. By the next day, his house was in the evacuation zone. "The wind really blew it up," Duvall said.
On Saturday alone, 15 new fires popped up across Nevada. Months of dry weather and a record lack of snow this past winter across the American West have created prime fire conditions. Earlier this month, wildfires in eastern Washington state forced the evacuation of 60,000 people in the Spokane area, while three wildfires north of Reno forced more than 13,000 residents from their homes.
Jaida Hargrove's grandfather, Rick Arrate, lived alone on Peavine Mountain, which overlooks Reno and Sparks. Firefighters used a bulldozer, cut down trees and applied fire retardant in their attempt to contain the flames, Hargrove said. "They all thought it would be OK," she said. "And then, in about 30 minutes, the winds just changed and it came way too fast." Arrate and the firefighters were quickly forced off the mountain. "All he was able to take with him was his two golden retrievers," Hargrove said. Arrate spent Saturday night with Hargrove's parents, his next steps unknown. Separate GoFundMe crowdfunding campaigns were set up to assist Arrate and the Kieffer family.