Reno's Hawk Fire burns 15,000 acres, seven injured, 24,000 under orders

An out-of-control wildfire in northwest Reno, Nevada, kept tens of thousands of residents away from their homes for another night on Monday. The Hawk Fire has burned more than 15,000 acres (6,000 hectares) since it broke out on August 22, spreading through the Peavine Peak area of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest where rugged foothills meet homes and businesses near the California state line.

Fire officials said the blaze was 27% contained as of Monday afternoon. Shifting and strong winds were still challenging crews, CBS News reported, citing fire officials. Roughly 24,000 people remained under evacuation orders later on Monday, officials said, down from 40,000 at the peak. Tens of thousands more were on alert and told to have bags ready.

Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District Chief Richard Edwards said at a news conference that some evacuation orders had been reduced. Residents in the Somersett area had been downgraded from "GO NOW" to "Get Set to Evacuate" status. Edwards said the blaze was "human-caused" but did not provide details on how officials reached that conclusion. "We do not know if it was intentional or unintentional," he said. "More than likely, this fire will be classified as undetermined."

Edwards described the Hawk Fire as "a very dynamic incident for us as it's being driven by the winds. The wind-driven fires move very rapidly into our residential areas." Changing wind patterns could push the fire into newly developed, densely populated neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Reno, Nevada's second-largest city.

The Washoe County Sheriff's Office said in a social media post that "this remains a dynamic situation, and conditions can change quickly." Schools remained closed on Monday and will stay shut on Tuesday to keep roads clear for emergency crews.

Seven people were reported injured, including three first responders. At least 32 properties were destroyed, and several others were damaged. Officials said the number is expected to rise as crews reach the interior of the burn area. No fatalities have been reported.

More than 900 firefighters were working the blaze, using engines, helicopters and bulldozers to clear tinder-dry brush. Teams from Australia and New Zealand were assisting, along with crews from across the United States. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency and deployed the Nevada National Guard to support aerial firefighting with two helicopter crews and 60 troops to help police safeguard evacuated neighbourhoods.

Roughly 10,000 people were without power in Washoe County on Monday, down from 60,000 at the fire's start on August 22.

The surge in wildfire activity has heightened concerns over worsening dry and unstable conditions across the U.S. Earlier this month, three wildfires north of Reno, fueled by hot, dry and windy weather, forced more than 13,000 people to evacuate, according to the Nevada National Guard.