Hawk Fire Threatens Reno as Tens of Thousands Flee Their Homes

RENO, UNITED STATES — A fast-moving wildfire has destroyed structures, injured six people and put roughly 90,000 residents inside evacuation or warning zones.

The Hawk Fire remained uncontained Sunday as firefighters tried to prevent flames from pushing farther into residential areas northwest of Reno, triggering one of Nevada’s largest emergency movements of residents this wildfire season.

Washoe County’s Regional Emergency Operations Center said approximately 90,000 people were within its combined GET-SET and GO-NOW evacuation zones. That figure does not mean all 90,000 were under mandatory orders: Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said about 42,000 people had evacuated while roughly 45,000 others were in the yellow preparedness zone, according to local reporting.

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County as the fire threatened homes and other structures. The declaration directed state agencies to coordinate through the Nevada Emergency Operations Center and supplement the local response.

The Nevada National Guard was also mobilized. Reporting from AP and Reuters said the deployment included helicopter crews supporting aerial firefighting and Guard personnel assisting law enforcement in evacuated neighborhoods.

Fire growth outpaces early mapping

The official Washoe County daily update listed the fire at 10,522 acres, with updated aerial confirmation still pending, and put containment at zero percent. The incident began August 22 off Hawk Meadow Trail, about one mile north of Cold Creek Trail in the Somersett area northwest of Reno. Authorities classified the cause as human, but the circumstances remained under investigation.

Later measurements indicated that the blaze had grown substantially beyond that morning figure. Local public broadcaster KUNR reported more than 15,000 acres burned while the fire remained at zero containment. Because the official county acreage was awaiting updated aerial confirmation, the differing numbers appear to reflect the rapid pace of the fire and the timing of individual estimates rather than a settled final perimeter.

Officials said several structures had been consumed, but no authoritative damage assessment had established a final number. Three civilians and three first responders were reported injured.

The distinction is important in a fast-changing disaster: confirmed destruction can be reported, but preliminary observations should not be converted into a definitive property-loss count until assessment teams can safely enter affected areas.

Wind and dry vegetation complicate the response

The fire was burning primarily through grass and brush. Washoe County forecast southwest winds strengthening during the day, with afternoon gusts of 15 to 20 mph expected to increase fire activity and influence its movement. Firefighters planned to use bulldozers on the southern and eastern portions of the incident to build fuel breaks between the fire and residential neighborhoods.

The National Weather Service in Reno also warned that smoke from the Hawk Fire would continue to affect air quality and visibility around the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area. Its Sunday forecast called for additional afternoon winds later in the week.

The combination of wind, low humidity and dry fuels helped explain why the fire moved so rapidly after ignition. Authorities nevertheless have not publicly established the specific human activity that started it.

Roads, power and schools disrupted

U.S. 395, the principal north-south highway through the region, was affected by extensive closures as emergency crews worked near the fire. Washoe County’s Sunday update listed closures from Parr Boulevard toward Red Rock Road along with numerous local intersections in northwest Reno and the North Valleys.

Power disruptions also affected thousands of customers. Local officials said outages had peaked much higher Saturday as NV Energy used emergency shutoffs in areas threatened by the fire and its infrastructure.

Washoe County School District schools, with the exception of Gerlach K-12, were reported closed for Monday.

The University of Nevada, Reno, meanwhile, said Sunday afternoon that its campus was not inside either an evacuation or GET READY zone and that normal operations would continue Monday. The university said it had emergency response plans in place if conditions changed and was offering temporary-housing assistance to students displaced by the fire.

Emergency shelter and evacuation information

Washoe County designated Hall 4 of the Reno-Sparks Convention Center as an evacuation shelter. Officials directed residents with small animals to Washoe County Regional Animal Services and provided a separate location at the Ironwood Event Center for large animals.

Residents were urged not to call 911 for evacuation information so emergency dispatch lines would remain available for immediate threats. The county listed 3-1-1 for evacuation information and a dedicated Hawk Fire information line at 775-244-6988.

With no containment in the latest official bulletin and the fire perimeter still being reassessed, evacuation boundaries, road closures and acreage figures remain subject to rapid change. Authorities continue to direct residents to official incident and perimeter information rather than relying on older maps or social-media estimates.