A fast-moving wildfire known as the Hawk Fire expanded to more than 10,500 acres near Reno, Nevada, on Sunday, prompting officials to order the evacuation of nearly 14,000 homes. The blaze moved from the Sierra foothills toward the city center, leading Governor Joe Lombardo to declare a state of emergency in Washoe County and mobilize the Nevada National Guard.
The fire follows a series of recent weather-related incidents in the region, including three other wildfires earlier this month that displaced approximately 13,000 residents. Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue reported that the current growth is being driven by dry vegetation, low humidity, and strong, gusty winds.
Approximately 400 personnel from local, state, and federal agencies are engaged in firefighting efforts. The Nevada National Guard has deployed 60 troops to assist police in securing evacuated areas and provided two helicopter crews for aerial water drops. While Reno-Tahoe International Airport remains open for commercial flights, the Reno-Stead Airport has been restricted to firefighting aircraft only.
The scale of the emergency extends to the University of Nevada, Reno, where the evacuation zone reached the edge of a campus that serves approximately 24,000 students. While the university has not yet been ordered to evacuate, administrators have activated emergency response plans. Similarly, the Washoe County Sheriff's Office is monitoring a county detention facility located several blocks from the warning area, preparing for a potential relocation of inmates if the fire progresses further into the city's residential and commercial core.
Residents in the fire's path will notice immediate disruptions to their daily routines, including potential property loss, as Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve confirmed that some structures have already burned. Local businesses, particularly casinos, have responded by offering discounted rates to those forced from their homes. The long-term impact includes increased pressure on regional emergency resources that have already handled three major fires within the last two weeks. Firefighting operations are ongoing, and the duration of the evacuation orders will depend on weather conditions and the success of ground and air crews in establishing containment lines.
What happens next: Firefighting crews will continue suppression efforts using ground and air resources as conditions allow. Local officials are monitoring the fire's proximity to the University of Nevada campus and the county detention facility to determine if further evacuation orders are necessary. Further updates regarding power restoration for the 10,000 affected customers and the reopening of U.S. Route 395 have not yet been scheduled.