By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- The Hawk Fire, burning in the Sierra Nevada foothills north of Reno, Nevada, has grown to more than 23 square miles with zero containment as of Sunday.
- More than 90,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate as the fire threatens densely developed neighborhoods northwest of downtown Reno.
- Six people, including three first responders, have been injured; the fire has already destroyed some homes.
- Nevada’s governor declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and mobilized the National Guard for aerial firefighting and evacuation-zone security; schools across the county closed Monday.
- Fire officials say the Hawk Fire is the third large human-caused wildfire in the area in two weeks but have not said whether it was set intentionally or accidentally.
RENO, Nev. — A wildfire that rapidly expanded over the weekend in the Sierra Nevada foothills has spread near Reno neighborhoods, prompting authorities to order more than 90,000 residents to evacuate.
The Hawk Fire began Saturday and grew to more than 23 square miles by Sunday, with zero containment reported. Officials said shifting winds could push flames into newly developed, densely packed neighborhoods in Nevada’s largest city outside the Las Vegas metro area. The fire has already destroyed some homes, and video posted to social media showed smoldering ruins of houses and vehicles.
At least six people have been injured, including three first responders and three civilians. Authorities said late Sunday that the fire had remained within its footprint as crews worked to extinguish hotspots and prevent it from crossing a main highway into homes and businesses.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and mobilized the National Guard to assist with aerial firefighting and to help secure evacuated neighborhoods northwest of downtown Reno. Schools across the county closed Monday due to the evacuations and to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles.
Fire officials said the Hawk Fire is the third large wildfire caused by human activity to burn in the rugged terrain north of Reno in the past two weeks, though they have not said whether the fire was intentionally set. The National Interagency Fire Center has placed much of western Nevada under an elevated wildfire risk this week due to high winds and low humidity, with critical fire weather conditions possible later in the week.
The fire follows a broader pattern of wildfire activity across the western United States this summer; fires in eastern Washington forced the evacuation of 60,000 people near Spokane earlier this month. Nationwide, more than 50,000 wildfires have been recorded this year, the highest total for this point in the year over the past decade, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.