Crews are responding to a brush fire off Callahan Road in south Reno.A large plume of smoke can be seen on lower half of Slide Mountain.

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Authorities in Nevada ordered evacuations of hundreds of homes southwest of Reno and closed the main highway to Lake Tahoe after a wind-whipped wildfire erupted Monday and spread quickly through mountainside vegetation.

The county is asking residents to leave immediately and an evacuation center has been set up at the South Valleys Library. All large animals can be taken to the Reno Sparks Livestock Events Center. Mt. Rose Highway is currently shut down to all traffic between Wedge Parkway and Douglas Fir Drive in both directions.