A fast-moving wildfire, named the Hawk Fire, has prompted the evacuation of approximately 42,000 residents in Reno, Nevada, as of Sunday. An additional 45,000 people have been instructed to prepare for potential evacuation as the blaze continues to spread through the northern part of the city.
The fire began Saturday morning in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Incident commanders confirmed late Sunday that the fire was human-caused, though the specific circumstances remain under active investigation. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo (R) declared a state of emergency for Washoe County and activated the National Guard to assist with containment efforts.
As of late Sunday, the National Interagency Fire Center reported the Hawk Fire had burned more than 15,000 acres with zero percent containment. Approximately 800 emergency responders are on-site, including crews from the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District. Six people—three civilians and three first responders—have sustained injuries, and officials confirmed several properties have been destroyed.
The scale of the fire is part of a broader trend in 2026, where 7.7 million acres have burned across the U.S. so far—the highest year-to-date total in a decade. Residents in northern Nevada are facing cumulative strain, as this is the third major fire to hit the region in recent weeks, following the 94,000-acre Bug Fire and the 40,000-acre Stallion Fire. These concurrent events stretch local firefighting resources and emergency infrastructure across the state.
Moving forward, the state of emergency allows for the deployment of federal resources and National Guard personnel to support local crews. Residents in "be ready" zones have been advised to maintain "go bags" and monitor real-time updates via official channels. The fire's progression remains dependent on "red flag" weather conditions, characterized by low humidity and high winds, which officials say continue to complicate containment efforts. No specific end date for the evacuation orders has been set.