Tens of thousands of people have been told to evacuate from an area close to Reno, Nevada, as a large wildfire reached the outskirts of the city. The fire, first reported on Saturday morning, has already injured six people, according to officials.

Evacuation Orders and State of Emergency

Approximately 42,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes immediately, with an additional 45,000 people urged to prepare to evacuate. Nevada’s Governor Joe Lombardo has declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and ordered the National Guard to assist in firefighting and law enforcement efforts.

“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. The fire, caused by humans, was first reported at 11:15 local time (18:15 GMT) on Saturday, according to local officials.

Impact and Response

The Washoe emergency information centre reported that around 15,000 acres (23 sq miles) had been burned as of Sunday lunchtime, with no part of the fire’s perimeter yet contained. Local emergency services stated that around 13,700 homes were within the evacuation area, with two shelters set up for displaced residents.

Of the six injured, three were emergency responders; all Washoe County schools will be closed on Monday, except one, and mass road closures are in place. The immediate “go now” evacuation zone and wider “get set” area do not extend to the center of Reno but do affect large urban areas and part of a highway.

The University of Nevada in Reno, which has its main campus in the city, stated that regular campus operations would continue but that it was monitoring the situation. Large air tankers and helicopters have been flying over the area, dropping water and fire retardants to help control the blaze.

Wildfire Context and Trends

The blaze has been named the Hawk Fire because it was first reported near the Hawk Meadow Trail, to the west of Reno; Reno, in western Nevada, is located close to the state boundary with California and has a population of around 280,000 people.

Wildfires are common in south-western US states, including Nevada, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — Currently, there are three large fires in the state, out of a total of 79 nationwide. However, many of these fires develop in rural and less populated areas, with only a few encroaching on population centers.