Two horses died in an East Washoe Valley fire on Thursday, but four others were rescued by neighbors.
The fire charred about 2 acres including corrals, fences, a lean-to and nearby brush. No other structures were damaged.
The blaze that began about noon in a residential area east of Lakeshore Drive threatened the whole neighborhood, officials at the scene said.
The animals were severely burned and it was not clear if the horses were in or near the barn at the time the fire broke out at 3700 Nye Drive, officials said.
The barn was destroyed when firefighters arrived in response to the call at 12:11 p.m. Thursday, Reno city spokesman Steve Frady said.
Neighbors said they smelled smoke earlier that morning, but could not find a source.
"We thought someone was doing a controlled burn nearby," David Hall said.
The fire followed Hall's fence line, but did not cross it. He said his horses, now safely corraled nearby, were in the adjacent fenced area when the fire was at its peak.
"They went crazy," he said. "But these firemen did a great job. They're awesome. During the fire, one of them was stationed at our house to protect it."
Seven engines and 28 firefighters responded from the Reno Fire Department, Nevada Division of Forestry and Bureau of Land Management. They extinguished the blaze in about 15 minutes, said Marty Sherman, Reno Fire Department chief of operations.
The source of the fire had not been determined and the matter is under investigation by the Reno Fire Department, Sherman said.
The horse owners have not been identified.