By SCOTT SONNER
Associated Press
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Hundreds of people were allowed to return home Tuesday after being forced to flee a wildfire west of Reno that also shut down Interstate 80 along the California-Nevada line.
About 170 firefighters continued to work to secure the perimeter and snuff out hot spots near Verdi, a town 11 miles (17 kilometers) from downtown Reno. One home was destroyed by the fire that broke out Sunday evening and quickly burned through about one square mile (2.5 square kilometers) of brush and timber.
No one was seriously injured. The Nevada state fire marshal is continuing to investigate the cause of the fire that started near the Gold Ranch exit of I-80 along the Truckee River about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the California line and 13 miles (21 km) west of Reno.
Evacuation orders or warnings were issued for about 400 homes threatened by the flames Sunday night into Monday.
As many as 27,000 Nevada Energy customers didn’t have power at one point Sunday night after the utility shut off electricity as a precaution. But by Tuesday it had been restored to all but about a dozen.
The fire was 8% contained Tuesday, according to the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District. But aerial photos showed no active flames or significant smoke.
More than 300 firefighters who worked through Monday into Tuesday were able to secure the fire lines and will continue to conduct mop-up operations, the federal interagency fire team led by Commander Brad Milam said in a statement Tuesday.
