Los Angeles: Authorities in Nevada in the western United States urged residents to evacuate their properties Sunday as a fast-moving, wind-driven wildfire advanced towards the city of Reno.

Roughly 42,000 residents have fled their homes, and an additional 45,000 have been advised to prepare for immediate departure, Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve told CNN.

The day-old Hawk Fire had expanded to 15,040 acres (6,087 hectares) by Sunday afternoon and was burning five miles (8 km) north-west of Reno, a metropolitan area home to over 280,000 people according to 2025 census figures.

The inferno has already destroyed several mountaintop properties and left six people injured, including three emergency responders, according to local news reports.

The Hawk Fire demonstrated "extreme fire behaviour," according to InciWeb, a US government tracker for wildfire activity.

Images shared on X by the local fire department showed blazes and massive plumes of smoke rising over the mountains that overlook the city.

Governor Joe Lombardo issued a state of emergency for Washoe County, where Reno is situated.

The Hawk Fire "is spreading quickly and threatening homes and structures," his executive order stated.

Reno is located in north-western Nevada near the border with California and the tourist destination of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Local fire chief Richard Edwards implored residents to be ready to leave straight away when instructed, or even earlier.

"The Hawk Fire is 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," he warned.

AFP