Aided by rain, crews extinguish a wildfire in Nevada after 1 home burns

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Residents returned to their homes in Nevada on Monday after a wind-whipped wildfire spread quickly near a residential area south of Reno, destroying one home and damaging several other buildings before about 200 firefighters aided by light rain quelled flames near the main highway to Lake Tahoe.

“Mother Nature came to our aid before it became far worse,” Adam Mayberry, spokesperson for the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, told The Associated Press. No injuries were reported.

About 3,000 people were initially told to leave, but rain began falling as local, state and federal crews arrived to battle the 100-acre (40.5-hectare) blaze dubbed the Callahan Fire, said Mayberry. Most residents were able tor return home by nightfall.

Mayberry characterized buildings that burned as barns, sheds and “older abandoned buildings.” He said flames charred grass, shrubs and light forest in the rural area.

Mayberry said the fire was reported just after 10 a.m. and the cause is under investigation. He said it was near an area charred by a 9-square-mile (23-square-kilometer) wildfire that burned for about a week in September.

As a safety precaution, power company NV Energy reported it cut electricity to about 5,500 customers in the evacuation area near Montreux Golf Course, Galena High School and Mount Rose Highway.