Arson-related wildfire in Nevada prompts evacuation for 90,000

In another bout of wildfires to hit North America, responders are fighting a human-caused blaze that's fast approaching Reno, Nevada.

As some 90,000 are being encouraged to evacuate their homes following six injuries, investigations are underway as authorities try to pin down those responsible for the destruction.

A home engulfed in flames in northwest Reno, Navada. Residents with their bare essentials as they and some 90,000 others are told to evacuate their homes.

Among those, 42,000 residents were ordered to evacuate as the "GO NOW" zone expands, reaching the edges of the University of Nevada at Reno.

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo has declared a state of emergency in Washoe County after authorities determined the fast-growing wildfire that has already destroyed some homes in Reno on Sunday is arson-related and uncontained.

The Hawk Fire began Saturday and quickly grew to 53 square kilometres as it spreads across the Peavine Peak area of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, near the California state line, with 800 fire personnel currently tackling the flames. Three residents and three first responders have been injured in the incident thus far.

While authorities reveal the fire is human-caused, they have yet to provided more details, saying it's still under investigation.

Shifting and strengthening winds are expected to make the fire even more unpredictable and authorities say residents will have to stay away for at least a few days.

This evacuee says she's not sure what her next steps are: "I literally want to cry and go back for all my stuff. But, you know, but I just pretty much got what I thought I needed, and now I'm just trying to go. And we got a room, because yesterday we were trying to get a room, but everything was pretty booked out. So we were able to get a room today and now, we're just going to go and shower, get some rest and, you know, get ready for tomorrow because we have to go to work. Sucks, but all the schools are closed tomorrow, so that's going to have to be another thing we had to figure out."

National guards have been deployed to assist the evacuation. Washoe County emergency officials opened the Reno-Sparks Convention Center to evacuees, but they couldn't bring their pets, which were to be left at two other locations.

Reno, with more than 280,000 residents, is the largest city in Nevada outside of metro Las Vegas.