Horses are seen fleeing from the Davis Fire burning near Reno, Nevada.
RENO, Nev. – The Davis Fire near Reno, Nevada, exploded over the weekend, torching 6,500 acres as crews work to contain the blaze.
The wildfire began Saturday afternoon in the area of the Davis Creek Regional Park in the Washoe Valley, and quickly began spreading as the weekend progressed. There are 600 fire personnel fighting the blaze.
Several roads in Washoe City and in mountainous areas south of Reno remain closed due to the fire’s spread.
According to Washoe County government officials, a large portion of south Reno is still under evacuation. The Senior Center at the County Admin Complex in Reno is an evacuation shelter for displaced residents.
Nevada government officials said the evacuations are impacting between 12,000-14,000 residents.
On Sunday, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo signed a state of emergency declaration due to the Davis Fire’s impact on residents of Washoe County.
The Washoe County School District canceled classes Monday because of the Davis Fire’s impact on the community, and for the safety of students, staff and faculty, the school district said in a Facebook post.
Firefighters may face worsening conditions as gusting winds are forecast to return on Monday.
Smoke from the Davis Fire burning outside of Reno, Nevada on Sept. 9, 2024.
(Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District)
An evacuation center for large animals is open at the University of Nevada Reno Equine Facility in Reno. In a video posted Saturday, large groups of wild horses can be seen fleeing the fire in the Geiger Grade Area.
The fire remained at 0% containment as of Monday afternoon.