A fast-moving wildfire named the Hawk Fire exploded across more than 10,500 acres of the Sierra Nevada foothills on Sunday, forcing roughly 14,000 homes to evacuate as flames reached the edge of the University of Nevada campus in Reno.
The Hawk Fire Explodes Near Reno: Evacuations and Power Outages
The Hawk Fire began Saturday near the Hawk Meadow Trail and matured rapidly through the weekend, fueled by strong, gusty winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation. By Sunday morning, the blaze had expanded significantly across a rugged section of the Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest on Peavine Mountain, which overlooks Reno and Sparks. Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue reported that approximately 400 personnel from local, state, and federal agencies were battling the incident using ground crews and air resources.
Emergency officials established a mandatory “GO NOW” evacuation zone that ultimately reached the edge of the University of Nevada campus, where about 24,000 students were enrolled last fall. Meanwhile, nearly 10,000 homes and businesses across Washoe County were without power on Sunday.
Authorities implemented at least 20 road closures, including portions of U.S. Route 395, a major north-south highway. Washoe County emergency officials opened the Reno-Sparks Convention Center to evacuees, though pets could not be housed there and were directed to two separate facilities. Reno casinos offered hotel room discounts to displaced residents, while commercial flights at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport remained unaffected as the facility sat outside the evacuation zone.
State and Local Emergency Response
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and mobilized the Nevada National Guard. The deployment included two helicopter crews for aerial firefighting support and 60 troops assigned to assist police with safeguarding evacuated neighborhoods.
Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam noted that authorities were also monitoring a county detention facility located 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,
Balaam said, as cited in reporting from regional outlets.
Local leadership issued urgent warnings for residents in affected areas to heed evacuation orders immediately. If you have been told to evacuate, please don’t wait!
Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve said in a statement posted to social media 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.
Displaced Residents Confront Sudden Destruction
For many residents, the fire escalated with shocking speed. Tyler Duvall went camping over the weekend, noting that the fire was so small on Saturday morning that it was not even a concern. By Sunday, his home was inside the evacuation zone and road closures prevented him from returning.
Cari Kieffer and her family lost their home on the outskirts of Reno after relying on a tracking application that lagged behind the fire’s actual progression. When ash began raining down and winds pushed a wall of flames toward their neighborhood, they fled. I woke up this morning and just started crying — all my kids, they lost everything,
Kieffer said on Sunday. We lost all our stuff. Everything we own is gone.
“I kept looking outside and the flames just kept getting closer and closer every time I looked. I was like, we gotta go like now.”
Cari Kieffer, displaced Reno resident
What Lies Ahead for the Region
With containment at zero percent on Sunday and shifting winds complicating firefighting efforts, emergency responders faced a dynamic and unpredictable night. Officials continue to urge residents in warning zones to monitor official channels and prepare to stay away from evacuated neighborhoods for several days.
