Disastrous Damage from Reno Wildfire (PHOTOS)

By Stoyan Zaimov, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Photographs were released revealing the damage caused by the devastating Cauglin fire that blazed through Reno late last week.

Thirty homes were burned and more than 40 others were significantly damaged, according to The Huffington Post. The Nevada city’s Fire Department reported that the fire raged over nearly 2,000 acres and started near Sierra Pine Drive before it was finally contained on Sunday.

An investigation into the cause of the fire continues and Fire Chief Michael Hernandez announced Monday that his department is working with the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to find the underlying cause of the case.

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It is possible that the fire was started intentionally, but downed power lines that were damaged by strong winds also could have sparked it.

Besides rebuilding the burned houses, the damaged land will also need to be reseeded. Workers will also have to build berms to control possible flooding in the area during winter.

Hernandez gave a detailed description of the immediate response, saying that by 12:24 a.m. on the night of the fire, first responders were already at the scene. They called in for help, and close to 500 firefighters were at Caughlin on Friday trying to extinguish the blaze.

Hernandez elaborated on the conditions: “This fire quickly grew, it was an erratic fire...Given the location of the fire, the extreme wind conditions that we had and heavy fuel loads, irrespective of the station's staffing, whether it was open or closed, it would not have had an impact on the overall outcome of this fire.”

Close to 10,000 people in the area were evacuated when the fires began, and one elderly man died from a heart attack. The residents have since been allowed to return to their homes and survey the damage.