Reno, Nevada: The fast-moving Hawk Fire near Reno, Nevada, was 27 percent contained, as more than 900 firefighters and emergency personnel continued battling the wind-driven blaze two days after it erupted northwest of the city.
Authorities said that 23,000 people remained under ‘go-now’ evacuation orders, while another 40,000 were under ‘get-set’ warnings. The figures marked an improvement from the roughly 90,000 people who were under evacuation orders or warnings earlier on August 24.
Richard Edwards, chief of the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, said crews had confirmed 32 homes destroyed and six damaged so far. He warned that the number could rise as damage assessment teams continued surveying affected areas.
Collaborating to help keep you safe during the #HawkFire.
Fire, flood, sun and snow, we partner to help keep you safe on Nevada highways every day.
Here is how it is done. pic.twitter.com/BsIqAePuAp
— Nevada DOT Reno (@nevadadotreno) August 25, 2026
Canine search teams are also expected to sweep the impacted areas. Authorities said there had been no confirmed fatalities, while four civilians and three firefighters had suffered injuries.
The Hawk Fire started on August 22 northwest of Reno and rapidly expanded under strong winds, displaying what officials described as ‘extreme fire behavior’ as it approached foothill communities. By Monday afternoon, the blaze had burned more than 15,000 acres.
Fire officials stated that areas along the southern edge of the fire and east of US Route 395 had been contained. Portions of the major north-south highway that had been closed were reopened Monday, according to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.
As some evacuation orders were lifted, the sheriff’s department urged residents to stay away from affected areas, including avoiding hiking and operating drones in airspace being used by firefighting crews.
Officials confirmed the fire was human-caused, although investigators have yet to determine whether it was intentional. “We do know that the fire was human-caused,” Edwards said. “We do not know if it was intentional or unintentional.”
The Reno region has experienced three major wildfires in the past two weeks, all of which fire officials said were linked to human activity. Evacuee Teresa Lenshyn described the experience as chaotic and stressful, saying residents were uncertain about how quickly conditions could deteriorate.
Schools close as fire threatens communities.
Nearly all schools in Washoe County, where Reno is located, were closed Monday to keep roads available for emergency responders. The University of Nevada, Reno, continued operating after the fall semester began Monday, while the school district announced that classes would also be cancelled on August 25.
8/24/2026 at 4:00 pm This is an important message from the Washoe County School District. To stay up to date with all WCSD announcements, visit our homepage https://t.co/oErptkXYPY pic.twitter.com/VyxHuHXhbu
— Washoe Schools (@WashoeSchools) August 24, 2026
The blaze also disrupted power supplies, leaving nearly 10,000 homes and businesses without electricity.
Jesse Murray, vice-president of NV Energy, stated that the utility had deployed 11 crews to restore electricity and expected service to return as evacuation restrictions were lifted. The fire has surrounded residential neighborhoods, prompting Edwards to urge residents to remain prepared to evacuate immediately if authorities issue orders.
The blaze presented serious challenges for emergency crews on August 22 night as it moved rapidly, jumped over fire trucks and made it difficult for firefighters to reach hotspots while residents attempted to flee, Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said.
Authorities said firefighters were working around the clock to protect lives, homes and communities, while residents described having very little time to leave as the fire rapidly spread.
State of emergency declared
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County, describing the situation as ‘active and rapidly evolving’ and urging residents to remain alert.
A local fire rescue service said around 800 people were assisting with firefighting operations, including crews from Australia and New Zealand.
California’s governor’s office of emergency services also said it was mobilising local fire agencies to assist crews near Reno under a cooperative agreement between California and Nevada.
US West faces severe wildfire season
The Hawk Fire comes amid an intense wildfire season across the western United States, where exceptionally dry conditions have contributed to the rapid spread of several major fires. Earlier this month, another fast-moving wildfire north of Reno forced around 5,500 people to evacuate.
In California, the Gann Fire in the Sierra Nevada foothills killed one person after authorities said it may have been sparked by a man using a chainsaw. The blaze burned more than 10,000 acres and destroyed nearly 50 buildings.
Meanwhile, wildfires around Spokane, Washington, forced approximately 60,000 people to evacuate in early August. Three fires burned in the area, including one that officials noted was allegedly started deliberately, destroying around 900 buildings.
Oregon has also recorded its worst year on record for land burned by large wildfires, with more than 3,670 square miles (9,500 square kilometres) scorched, according to Jean Nelson-Dean of the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center.
The National Interagency Fire Center has reported more than 50,000 wildfires across the US this year, the highest number recorded over the same period in the past decade. More than 7.8 million acres have already been burned.
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