The blaze has blackened some 300 acres and is threatening a
group of homes. A firefighter on the line reportedly suffered a
broken leg.
Carson City Fire Chief Dan Shirey says that if the wind shifts,
the blaze could take a downhill run toward the homes. The fire is
burning both up and down the hill and Shirey says it's getting more
and more unpredictable. He adds it will just get worse if westerly
winds pick up this afternoon.
An evacuation center has been set up at Fritsch Elementary
School and sheriff's deputies are going door-to-door urging people
to leave.
Resident Amy Maggert says she has thrown some things together in
case she has to leave. In her words, "I'm still pretty nervous."
Forest Service spokeswoman Christie Kalkowski
says the blaze -- called the Waterfall Fire -- broke out about
three this morning and was human caused.
She adds that the acreage is only an approximation because dense
smoke isn't allowing a better estimate.
She says a huge plume of smoke is towering over the state
capital and flames are burning fiercely on the northern front of
the blaze. She says a firefighter apparently broke a leg and has
been flown to a hospital.
More than 250 firefighters are on the scene. They're being
assisted by three single-engine air tankers, one heavy air tanker
and five helicopters.
Structure engines from Reno and Sparks are standing by for
structure protection and the Sierra Front Wildfire Cooperators has
activated an incident management team.