Human-Caused Hawk Fire Grows to 15,040 Acres as Reno Evacuates

RENO, UNITED STATES — The wind-driven Hawk Fire remained uncontained Sunday as evacuations spread across northern Reno and crews fought to protect homes and infrastructure.

A wildfire that began northwest of Reno on Saturday expanded to 15,040 acres by Sunday evening, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes as firefighters confronted shifting winds, dry vegetation and continued threats to residential areas.

Officials classified the Hawk Fire as human-caused, but they had not publicly identified the specific activity that started it. The distinction is significant: investigators have established a human origin, but that does not establish whether the ignition was accidental, negligent or deliberate.

The latest reported acreage represented another sharp increase from the roughly 13,000 acres reported earlier Sunday. The fire remained 0% contained.

Washoe County's Regional Emergency Operations Center said the blaze began August 22 off Hawk Meadow Trail, about one mile north of Cold Creek Trail in the Somersett area northwest of Reno. Grass and brush were the primary fuels.

Evacuations spread as fire reaches Reno's outskirts

About 42,000 residents had been evacuated or displaced by Sunday, while approximately 45,000 more were under instructions to prepare to evacuate, according to local officials. Updated incident information placed roughly 90,000 residents within the combined GET-SET and GO-NOW evacuation zones.

Authorities urged people inside evacuation areas to leave when instructed and warned residents not to use 911 for routine evacuation information, preserving emergency lines for immediate threats to life and property.

The Reno-Sparks Convention Center was opened as an evacuation center. Separate facilities were designated for small and large animals.

The fire also disrupted transportation. U.S. 395 was closed at multiple points during the emergency, while Reno-Stead Airport was restricted for general aviation operations and remained available to firefighting and military aircraft. Reno-Tahoe International Airport remained outside the affected operational area.

Six injured as crews defend neighborhoods

Officials reported six injuries — three civilians and three first responders. Multiple structures were damaged or destroyed, although authorities said conditions had not yet allowed assessment teams to produce a reliable total.

More than 800 personnel were assigned to the incident by later Sunday, with firefighters using bulldozers on portions of the fire to establish fuel breaks between the flames and residential areas.

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and mobilized the Nevada National Guard. The deployment included helicopter crews supporting aerial firefighting and Guard personnel assisting law enforcement in evacuated neighborhoods.

The emergency declaration allows state agencies to coordinate through the Nevada Emergency Operations Center and supplement the local response.

Electricity was another concern. About 10,000 NV Energy customers remained without power Sunday following emergency de-energization associated with the wildfire, according to local reporting. Gas service was also interrupted for a smaller number of customers in affected areas.

Wind and dry fuels complicate containment

Weather and terrain have been central to the fire's rapid expansion.

Washoe County's emergency update forecast temperatures of 84 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday, relative humidity of 25% to 30%, and afternoon southwest wind gusts of 15 to 20 mph. Incident reporting described extreme fire behavior as wind pushed flames rapidly through grass and other fast-burning vegetation.

The National Weather Service in Reno had allowed an earlier Red Flag Warning for parts of northwestern Nevada and northeastern California to expire late Saturday as winds diminished, but specifically urged residents to continue following emergency instructions because of the Hawk Fire.

Fire managers were attempting to keep the blaze south of Cold Springs and north of Somersett while identifying opportunities for direct or indirect attack. Crews were also conducting point protection around threatened structures and infrastructure.

University operations remain scheduled

The expanding evacuation footprint brought the emergency close enough to the University of Nevada, Reno to prompt an assessment of campus conditions.

The university said Sunday afternoon that regular operations would continue Monday, August 24, after reviewing the Hawk Fire and smoke conditions. Classes and operations at its main Reno campus, Redfield campus and Lake Tahoe campus were scheduled to proceed normally.

That decision could change if fire behavior or evacuation boundaries shift, making official emergency information particularly important for students, employees and residents.

The Hawk Fire remains a developing emergency. Its final size, structure losses and the exact circumstances of its human-caused ignition were not yet established Sunday evening. Residents in affected areas should rely on Washoe County emergency information and current evacuation maps because boundaries, road closures and fire conditions can change rapidly.

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