A rapidly spreading wildfire in Nevada forced thousands of residents to evacuate their neighborhoods in Reno, with nearly 14,000 homes ordered to leave as the fire approached the city center. The Hawk Fire, which grew to over 10,500 acres, prompted a state of emergency declaration by Gov. Joe Lombardo, who mobilized the Nevada National Guard to support firefighting efforts.
The fire, fueled by strong winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation, spread from the Sierra foothills toward the center of Reno, reaching the edge of the University of Nevada campus. The Reno-Sparks Convention Center was opened as an evacuation center, but officials said pets were not allowed and had to be taken to separate locations. The University of Nevada’s Reno campus, with an enrollment of about 24,000 students, was just outside the evacuation zone, but officials established an emergency response plan in case conditions changed.
Residents described the fire’s rapid growth, with Tyler Duvall saying it was a small concern on Saturday morning but had grown significantly by the next day, forcing him to evacuate and leaving him unable to return to his home. Strong winds were blamed for the fire’s rapid spread, with gusty conditions and low humidity fueling its growth.
Approximately 400 personnel, including ground crews and air resources, were working to contain the fire, with resources coming from local, state, and federal agencies. The fire zone was surrounded by neighborhoods, with nearly 10,000 homes and businesses without power in Washoe County on Sunday. Portions of U.S. Route 395, a major north-south highway, were closed due to the fire.
Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve urged residents to evacuate immediately, saying structures had already been burned and lives were more important than buildings. Casinos in Reno offered discounts on hotel rooms to evacuees, while the Reno-Tahoe International Airport remained open, with commercial flights unaffected. The smaller Reno-Stead Airport was closed to general aviation traffic but remained open to firefighting aircraft.
The fire was the second wildfire incident in the region in two weeks, with authorities keeping watch on a county detention facility near the evacuation warning area. Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said plans were in place to evacuate the facility if necessary. Earlier this month, three wildfires north of Reno forced over 13,000 residents from their homes.
