Reno Wildfire Hits 23 Square Miles, Evacuations Continue

Fire crews battling the Hawk Fire northwest of Reno reported Monday that the blaze had reached 27 percent containment after burning roughly 23 square miles in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The fire, which ignited Saturday, destroyed at least 32 homes and damaged six others, with officials warning that those figures are likely to rise once assessment teams reach additional burned areas. Seven people, including three firefighters and four civilians, sustained minor injuries, though no deaths have been reported.

Evacuation orders that at one point affected more than 90,000 residents have been scaled back, with roughly 63,000 people now under either immediate “go now” directives or “get set” warnings to prepare to leave. About 23,000 remain in the highest-risk zone. Some residents have been allowed to return, but officials continue to urge caution because shifting winds could push flames through dry vegetation toward additional neighborhoods. Unfavorable weather is forecast for at least the next two days.

U.S. Forest Service District Ranger Matt Zumstein said crews are making progress, supported by large air tankers and helicopters that have been dropping water and fire retardant across the fire perimeter. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard to assist with aerial operations and to secure evacuated areas. Washoe County schools were closed Monday to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles.

Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve described the fire’s rapid advance Sunday as unlike anything she had previously witnessed, noting that the flames “lit up these areas like nothing I’ve seen before.” The blaze began near the California border and expanded quickly under windy conditions that also complicated initial containment efforts.

Chief Richard Edwards of the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District said the injured civilians and firefighters suffered only minor burns. Shelters have opened for displaced residents, and officials have stressed that the immediate evacuation zones do not reach downtown Reno but do affect large residential areas and portions of a major highway.

While containment has improved since the weekend surge, fire managers caution that the combination of dry fuels and expected gusts could allow the fire to continue growing before full control is achieved. Assessment teams are still working to determine the full extent of structural damage, and additional resources remain staged in the region.