Firefighters reached 27% containment after the fast-moving blaze destroyed at least 32 homes and injured seven people.
RENO, NV — Firefighters gained ground Monday on the Hawk Fire after the wind-driven wildfire swept through northwest Reno, forcing tens of thousands of residents from their homes and destroying at least 32 houses as flames raced through dry grass and brush.
The fire had burned more than 15,000 acres by Monday and was 27% contained, a major change from Sunday, when shifting winds drove flames toward neighborhoods and prompted evacuation orders and warnings affecting about 90,000 people. Officials said seven people suffered injuries, including four civilians and three emergency personnel. No deaths had been reported. The cause was identified as human activity, but investigators had not determined whether the fire was started accidentally or intentionally.
Officials first received reports of fire near Hawk Meadow Trail at about 11:15 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, according to Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District Chief Richard Edwards. Crews faced warm temperatures, low humidity and strong winds as the fire quickly spread through vegetation in the foothills northwest of central Reno. By Sunday, the blaze had grown to about 13,000 acres and remained uncontained. Flames moved across slopes and toward roads and homes as smoke covered nearby neighborhoods. The fire eventually grew beyond 15,000 acres within roughly 48 hours. Conditions improved Monday, allowing firefighters to build containment lines around more than one-quarter of the perimeter. U.S. Forest Service District Ranger Matt Zumstein said crews were seeing results. “We are making progress,” Zumstein said. Officials reported no significant new growth Monday afternoon, although they warned that dry vegetation could still burn quickly if winds strengthened again.
Damage assessment teams had confirmed at least 32 homes destroyed and six others damaged by Monday afternoon. Edwards said crews expected those totals to rise as inspectors reached additional burned neighborhoods. Four civilians and three emergency workers suffered injuries, described by authorities as minor, and no fatalities had been reported. At the height of the emergency, about 42,000 residents had been displaced or placed under immediate evacuation orders, while roughly 45,000 others were told to prepare to leave. By Monday afternoon, officials had reduced some evacuation areas. Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said about 23,000 people remained under immediate evacuation orders and another 40,000 were still on alert. Some residents expressed frustration over roadblocks that prevented them from returning home, but Balaam said hot spots and blowing embers remained a threat. “It just takes that little breeze and one ember,” he said.
The Hawk Fire struck after northern Nevada had already endured several major wildfires during an unusually active summer. Fire officials said it was the third large fire in rugged areas north of Reno in about two weeks that was linked to human activity. Earlier fires had forced thousands of residents from communities in Washoe County and the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. Western Nevada remained vulnerable because grasses and sagebrush had dried across large areas, creating fuel that could carry flames rapidly during periods of wind and low humidity. Reno, a city of about 280,000 residents near the California state line, sits along the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada and serves as a major route toward Lake Tahoe and northern Nevada communities. National fire officials have reported more than 50,000 wildfires across the United States so far in 2026, the highest total for the same period in a decade. Millions of acres have burned nationwide during the season.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County on Saturday as evacuation zones expanded. The order directed state agencies to coordinate with local responders through Nevada’s emergency operations system. The Nevada National Guard was mobilized to assist with aerial firefighting and security in evacuated areas. Officials said two Guard helicopters and dozens of Guard personnel were assigned to the response. By Monday, more than 900 firefighters were working on the Hawk Fire, including personnel from 15 states and crews from Australia and New Zealand who had been deployed to help fight fires across the western United States. Investigators continued examining the origin of the Hawk Fire. Authorities had determined that human activity caused the ignition but had not announced a specific act, person or possible criminal case. Damage teams were also continuing inspections before additional evacuation areas could reopen.
The fire disrupted daily life across the Reno area as emergency crews worked around neighborhoods and major roads. Schools across Washoe County closed Monday because of evacuations and efforts to keep streets clear for firefighters and law enforcement. Portions of U.S. Route 395 were closed during the emergency, although sections later reopened as conditions improved. Nearly 10,000 homes and businesses lost electrical service during parts of the weekend. The Reno-Sparks Convention Center became a shelter for evacuees, including residents who left with little time to pack. Crystal Hallock, 53, said the fire destroyed her home, the second house fire she has suffered in less than a decade. She fled with children, grandchildren and pets as flames approached Saturday. Elsewhere, videos from damaged neighborhoods showed burned vehicles, blackened lots and the remains of houses. Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve said the speed of the fire was difficult to comprehend. “It took your breath away, in the worst way,” she said.
The emergency also arrived days before thousands of travelers were expected to pass through Reno on the way to the Burning Man festival in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, scheduled to begin Aug. 30. Reno is a common stop for festival participants seeking lodging, food and supplies before heading north. Organizers asked travelers to consider the pressure that evacuees and emergency operations were placing on hotels and other regional resources. The festival itself had not been canceled. Fire crews, meanwhile, continued watching weather conditions that could change the direction and intensity of the Hawk Fire. The National Weather Service expected warm, dry and breezy conditions to continue in western Nevada, with the possibility of critical fire weather later in the week. Officials said containment could increase if winds remained manageable, but full damage totals and a final determination of the fire’s cause were still pending.
As of early Tuesday, Aug. 25, the Hawk Fire remained at more than 15,000 acres with 27% containment. Thousands of residents were still unable to return home while firefighters strengthened containment lines and damage teams surveyed burned areas. Officials were expected to adjust evacuation zones as conditions allowed.
Author note: Last updated August 25, 2026.