A rapidly spreading wildfire in western Nevada prompted officials on Sunday to order residents to leave homes near Reno as the Hawk Fire moved toward the city. Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve told CNN that about 42,000 people had already moved to safety, while another 45,000 were told to prepare for rapid evacuation. Governor Joe Lombardo declared an emergency in Washoe County.

Within a day of igniting, the fire had burned about 15,040 acres, or 6,087 hectares. By Sunday afternoon, it was burning about 5 miles, or 8 kilometers, northwest of Reno. Local media reported that several homes on hilltops had burned. Six people were injured, including three emergency workers, while the federal InciWeb wildfire monitoring website described conditions as very severe.

Fire service chief Richard Edwards urged residents to be ready to leave as soon as evacuation instructions were issued, or earlier if possible. He said the fire was highly changeable and that wind was driving its rapid spread, potentially allowing flames to reach residential areas quickly. Images posted by the local fire service showed flames on hills near Reno and thick smoke across the sky.