Hawk Fire Forces 90,000 Evacuations Near Reno
The human-caused Hawk Fire near Reno, Nevada, topped 15,000 acres with no containment Sunday night, and about 90,000 residents were told to evacuate or get ready to leave.
The Morning Brief Desk · August 24, 2026 · Based on reporting by NPR News
A wildfire on the edge of Reno, Nevada, expanded past 15,000 acres by Sunday night with firefighters yet to contain any portion of it, officials said. Evacuation orders and warnings covered an estimated 90,000 people in the city and surrounding areas, and homes on Reno's outskirts have been lost to the flames.
The Hawk Fire started in the foothills of the Sierra and moved toward Reno's core, according to the Associated Press, which reported that crews were working in extreme conditions. Officials said the fire was caused by human activity, though they have not released further detail on how it began.
The blaze continued to expand to the city's northwest, USA Today reported, and the zone under evacuation grew wider overnight. People in the affected neighborhoods were instructed either to leave immediately or to be ready to go on short notice. Authorities had not announced any progress toward containing the fire as of Sunday night, and it remains unclear how many structures have been destroyed or whether anyone has been hurt.
The context
The Hawk Fire is a new blaze, and its growth has been rapid: within a short span it went from ignition in the Sierra foothills to a fire covering more than 15,000 acres and pressing toward a major Nevada city. NPR reported that officials attribute the fire to human causes, though the material released so far does not identify a specific person, activity or investigation. The evacuation footprint expanded quickly as well. Orders and warnings that initially affected thousands of residents widened overnight to encompass roughly 90,000 people, per USA Today. The pattern so far, based on official statements, is a fire outpacing suppression efforts, with zero percent containment reported and difficult conditions hampering crews on the ground.
Why it matters
A fire with no containment bearing down on a sizable metropolitan area puts tens of thousands of people at direct risk. Roughly 90,000 residents in and around Reno face displacement, and some have already lost homes on the city's fringe. Until crews establish containment lines, the fire's direction and speed will dictate whether more neighborhoods come under threat. The human-caused designation also opens the possibility of an investigation into how the blaze started, though officials have said little on that so far.
What’s next
Watch for updated containment figures and acreage from fire officials, along with any changes to the evacuation map as the blaze moves northwest of Reno. Key open questions include how many homes have been destroyed, whether there are injuries, and what specifically ignited the fire. Officials have not yet reported any containment gains, so the next briefings will indicate whether crews are getting a foothold.
Sources
NPR News — Thousands forced to evacuate parts of Reno, Nevada, as new wildfire rages
Officials say the human-caused fire has burned more than 15,000 acres at zero percent containment, with nearly 90,000 people told to evacuate or prepare to leave.
AP News — Hawk Fire nears Reno, Nevada, with thousands ordered to evacuate
A fast-growing wildfire spread from the Sierra foothills toward the center of Reno, destroying homes as crews battle extreme conditions.
USA Today — Hawk Fire near Reno grows, triggering wider evacuation orders
More than 90,000 people are under evacuation orders or warnings as the uncontained blaze grows northwest of Reno.
See a mistake? Report an error
