Tens of thousands evacuated as Hawk wildfire nears western US city of Reno

Published on 24/08/2026 - 13:38 GMT+2

Authorities in Nevada urged tens of thousands of people to evacuate and ordered schools to remain closed on Monday as a fast-moving, wind-driven wildfire bore down on the western US city of Reno.

Around 42,000 people have been forced to evacuate and an additional 45,000 have been told to get ready to leave, Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve told CNN.

All but one school in Washoe County, where Reno is located, will remain closed on Monday, authorities said.

The Hawk Fire began on Saturday and had grown to 6,091 hectares by Sunday evening, showing "extreme fire behaviour," according to InciWeb, a US government website that tracks fire activity.

The fire was burning 8 kilometres northwest of Reno, a metropolitan area of over 280,000 people, according to census data from 2025.

No deaths have been reported, but at least six people have been injured, including three first responders, with several mountaintop houses destroyed, according to local media.

Officials said the fire was "human-caused," but did not say how it started.

A local fire rescue service said around 800 people were supporting firefighting efforts, including crews from Australia and New Zealand.

Pictures posted on X by the fire service showed flames and towering smoke clouds over mountains overlooking the city.

Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County.

The Hawk Fire "is spreading quickly and threatening homes and structures," his order said.

Local fire chief Richard Edwards urged people to be ready to evacuate immediately when told to do so.

"The Hawk Fire is a very dynamic incident for us as it's being driven by the winds. The wind-driven fires move very rapidly into our residential areas," he said.

"If you have been told to evacuate, please don't wait!" Schieve, the Reno mayor, said in a statement on social media.

Reno is located in northwestern Nevada near the border with California and the tourist area of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountains.