Daijiworld Media Network - Nevada

Nevada, Aug 25: A fast-growing wildfire has destroyed at least 32 homes and damaged six others as it spread rapidly towards Reno in northwestern Nevada, near the Nevada-California border, authorities said.

The Hawk Fire, which broke out on Saturday, had burned more than 15,000 acres (about 60.7 sq km) and was 27 per cent contained as of Monday, local fire officials said.

Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District Chief Richard Edwards said at a news conference on Monday afternoon that four civilians and three firefighters had been injured in the blaze.

About 90,000 residents were in areas covered by evacuation warnings and orders, according to InciWeb, a US interagency all-hazard incident information management system, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Reno Police Department said in a Facebook post on Monday that evacuation conditions had improved in some nearby communities, with evacuation orders being downgraded from "Evacuate Now" to "Get Set to Evacuate."

Officials cautioned that the situation remained dynamic despite the improvement and that conditions could change rapidly. Residents in affected areas were urged to remain alert, monitor official updates and be prepared to evacuate if necessary.

Reno is the county seat and the most populous city in Washoe County.

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency for Washoe County on Saturday night.

"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 in a statement.

"The state is fully engaged, and we are working alongside local authorities and first responders to deploy every available resource to protect lives, safeguard communities, and keep Nevadans out of harm's way," he said.

Lombardo again warned on social media on Sunday morning that the fire remained "a rapidly evolving situation."

"Stay vigilant and keep yourself informed if you are in the affected areas," the governor said.