Firefighters race to stop out-of-control wildfire from spreading to homes in Reno
A state of emergency has been declared after a fast-moving wildfire that exploded over the weekend in the Sierra Nevada foothills spread perilously close to neighborhoods in northwest Reno, Nevada. Nearly 90,000 people have been told to evacuate or be prepared to leave. The out-of-control Hawk Fire has already burned some homes, but there's concern that the winds could push the flames into newly-developed and densely-packed neighborhoods in Reno. The fire has grown to over 15,000 acres with no containment, and shifting winds are challenging firefighters trying to bring it under control. At least six people, including three first responders, have been injured.
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Officials said the fire was "human-caused" but did not provide details on whether it was intentionally set or accidental. Extremely dry conditions across the American West have sparked a rash of wildfires this summer, and fires in eastern Washington state forced the evacuation of 60,000 people in the Spokane area in early August.
