The fast-growing Hawk Fire spread from the Sierra foothills toward the center of Reno early Sunday, forcing nearly 14,000 homes to be evacuated as it expanded to more than 10,500 acres with zero containment, according to CBS News. The wind-driven blaze triggered emergency declarations, highway closures, and hospital evacuations across Washoe County as local and state responders scrambled to contain the disaster.
The emergency zone reached the edge of the University of Nevada campus early Sunday morning. Gov. Joe Lombardo responded by declaring a state of emergency in Washoe County and mobilizing the Nevada National Guard, which deployed two helicopter crews for aerial firefighting alongside 60 troops to help local police safeguard evacuated neighborhoods. “This is an active and rapidly evolving situation, and I urge everyone in the affected areas to remain vigilant and follow the direction of local officials,” Lombardo said in a statement posted on social media, as reported by CBS News.
The blaze apparently began Saturday and expanded rapidly throughout the day, fueled by strong, gusty winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation, according to Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue. Richard Edwards, chief of Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue, described the blaze in a social media video as a very dynamic incident driven by winds that push fire rapidly into residential areas and create major challenges for firefighters protecting homes and lives.
Evacuations and Closures Across Washoe County
Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve urged residents to leave immediately, stating on social media late Saturday night that structures had already burned and that personal safety outweighs property. Evacuating early also allows firefighters to concentrate their efforts on fighting the blaze, Schieve noted.
Out of an abundance of caution, the Northwest Specialty Hospital evacuated all of its patients, with the Northern Nevada Health System emphasizing that patient and staff safety remained its highest priority. Essential infrastructure and transport routes also sustained disruptions. Portions of U.S. Route 395, a major north-south highway, were closed due to the fire. Nearly 10,000 homes and businesses lost power across Washoe County on Sunday, and the smaller Reno-Stead Airport was closed to general aviation traffic to dedicate airspace to firefighting aircraft, though the Reno-Tahoe International Airport remained outside the evacuation zone and commercial flights operated normally, according to CBS News.
Local Impact and Recent Regional Precedents
Residents caught in the path of the Hawk Fire described sudden and chaotic shifts in conditions. Meanwhile, retired police officer and firefighter Ted Melden noted that the incident marked his second wildfire incident in the region within two weeks, following a series of climate and weather disruptions since moving to Reno from South Carolina earlier in the month.
The Hawk Fire follows an active month for emergency responders in northern Nevada. Earlier in August, three separate wildfires fueled by similarly hot, dry, and windy conditions forced more than 13,000 residents from their homes, according to data from the Nevada National Guard cited by CBS News. Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam confirmed that authorities were monitoring a county detention facility located several blocks from the outer edge of the evacuation warning area, ensuring evacuation plans were ready if conditions deteriorated further.
Official updates on containment progress, re-entry schedules, and road reopenings are expected from Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue and Washoe County emergency management as firefighting operations continue.
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