Hawk Fire Explodes to 10,500 Acres Near Reno
Hawk Fire Explodes to 10,500 Acres Near Reno
The News
The Hawk Fire has burned more than 10,500 acres on the edge of Reno, Nevada, with no containment reported, and nearly 14,000 homes have been ordered evacuated as the blaze pushed from the Sierra foothills toward the center of the city early Sunday.
Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and mobilized the Nevada National Guard.
The "GO NOW" evacuation zone reached the edge of the University of Nevada campus, according to the Associated Press.
Strong, gusty winds, low humidity and dry vegetation are driving the fire, Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue in Reno said. The cause has not been determined.
Timeline
The fire was small enough that it was not a concern, said Tyler Duvall, a resident who left to go camping for the weekend. "The wind really blew it up," he later told the AP.
Residents of about 1,000 homes were told to get ready to evacuate, CNN reported, citing Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District.
Evacuation orders widened, reaching the Somersett neighborhood and areas to the north. Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve posted a warning that structures had already burned. Lombardo declared the state of emergency in Washoe County.
The fire ballooned past 10,500 acres with no containment reported, according to state fire officials cited by CNN.
Nearly 14,000 homes were under evacuation orders. Nearly 10,000 homes and businesses in Washoe County were without power. Portions of U.S. Route 395, a major north-south highway, were closed. Patients at a Nevada hospital were forced to evacuate, the Daily Mail reported; The New York Times reported the fire prompted evacuations of homes and hospitals.
Reactions
"This is an active and rapidly evolving situation, and I urge everyone in the affected areas to remain vigilant," Lombardo wrote on X, urging anyone told to evacuate to go immediately.
"If you have been told to evacuate, please don't wait!" Schieve said in a statement posted late Saturday night. "Structures have already been burned in this fire and your life is more important than a building. Evacuating before the fire arrives also allows our firefighters to focus their efforts on battling the blaze."
Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said authorities were watching a county detention facility several blocks from the outer edge of the evacuation warning area. "We have those inmates in mind and we are making sure that we have plans in place in case we may have to evacuate the facility," he said.
Ted Melden, a retired police officer and firefighter who moved to Reno with his wife earlier this month from Chapin, South Carolina, has already lived through a hailstorm with flash flooding and two power outages since arriving. "Just another natural disaster," he said. He has not been ordered out, but his bags are packed. "Always be prepared and have a full tank of gas."
What's Next
About 400 personnel from local, state and federal agencies are working the fire, Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue said, with ground crews and air resources. Helicopters flew overnight. High winds have complicated containment.
Lombardo mobilized the Nevada National Guard to support aerial firefighting with two helicopter crews, plus 60 troops to help police safeguard evacuated neighborhoods. He directed state agencies to coordinate through Nevada's emergency operations center.
Washoe County emergency officials opened the Reno-Sparks Convention Center to evacuees. Pets are not allowed there — small animals and large animals are to be left at two other locations. Casinos in Reno offered discounted hotel rooms to evacuees.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport was outside the evacuation zone and commercial flights were unaffected Sunday. The smaller Reno-Stead Airport was closed to general aviation but stayed open to firefighting aircraft.
Still unanswered: what started the fire, how many structures have burned, and whether the evacuation zones expand again if the wind holds.
More
Reno has a population of more than 280,000. The University of Nevada's Reno campus was just outside the evacuation zone Sunday morning; the school had about 24,000 students enrolled in fall 2025 and says it has an emergency response plan ready if conditions change.
This is the second wildfire emergency in the region in two weeks. Earlier this month, three wildfires fueled by hot, dry and windy conditions north of Reno forced more than 13,000 residents from their homes, according to the Nevada National Guard.
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