The Hawk Fire Reno evacuation order now covers roughly 42,000 residents, with another 45,000 told to stand ready to leave, as a fast-moving wildfire pushes into neighborhoods on the city’s northern edge.

The fire ignited Saturday in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and has already burned past 15,000 acres, according to figures posted late Sunday on the National Interagency Fire Center’s Inciweb tracking system.

A Human-Caused Blaze Under Investigation

Shane Akerson, a battalion chief with the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District serving as one of three incident commanders on the fire, confirmed at a Sunday morning press conference that investigators have determined the fire was human caused. He noted that the specific circumstances remain under active investigation.

The human toll so far includes at least six injuries, split between three first responders and three civilians. Several properties have already been destroyed, and roughly 800 emergency personnel are currently working the fire line.

Evacuation Zone Reaches the University

The area under mandatory “go now” evacuation orders had expanded by Sunday to reach the edge of the University of Nevada campus.

Officials are telling residents who evacuate to plan for an extended absence, potentially several days, given how unpredictable wind patterns have made containment efforts.

State Emergency Declared

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo activated the National Guard and declared a state of emergency covering Washoe County, which includes both Reno and portions of the Lake Tahoe area. That declaration unlocks federal resources to support the firefighting effort.

In a statement issued Saturday, Lombardo described the situation as active and rapidly evolving, urging residents in affected areas to stay alert and follow instructions from local officials.

Preparing the Wider Community

Beyond the immediate evacuation zone, tens of thousands of additional residents fall under a “be ready to evacuate” designation. Authorities are asking these households to remain alert and keep go bags packed in case conditions change quickly.

Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam encouraged residents to monitor Watch Duty, an app and website tracking wildfires and other emergencies in real time.

Balaam framed early evacuation as a practical matter for public safety more broadly, saying that residents leaving proactively makes the job easier for firefighters and first responders working the incident.

Where Evacuees Are Sheltering

The Reno-Sparks Convention Center has opened as a shelter site for displaced residents. According to NPR member station KUNR, hundreds of people spent Saturday night there after being processed through the Red Cross evacuation site.

How the Fire Started and Spread

Officials first received reports of the Hawk Fire shortly after 11 a.m. Pacific time Saturday.

Richard Edwards, fire chief at Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue, pointed to red flag conditions, meaning warm temperatures, low humidity and strong winds, as the environmental factors that allowed the fire to expand so quickly.

In a video posted to social media Saturday, Edwards described the incident as highly dynamic because of how heavily wind is driving its behavior. He explained that wind-driven fires move rapidly into residential areas, creating serious challenges for crews trying to protect both homes and lives simultaneously.

Part of a Broader Pattern in Northern Nevada

Balaam noted that the Hawk Fire is the third major wildfire to strike northern Nevada within a matter of weeks.

The Bug Fire, which began Aug. 8 just north of the Hawk Fire’s location, has burned close to 94,000 acres and sits at roughly 94% containment. The Stallion Fire, which ignited two days later, has consumed just over 40,000 acres and is now 98% contained.

The clustering of three significant fires in such a short window points to how dry conditions across the region have primed the landscape for rapid ignition and spread.

A Record-Pace Fire Year Nationally

The Hawk Fire is unfolding against a backdrop of unusually severe wildfire activity nationwide. More than 7.7 million acres have burned across the United States so far this year, the largest year-to-date total in a decade, according to National Interagency Fire Center data.

Firefighters nationally are currently working to contain 79 large fires spread across 18 states, stretching resources thin in a season that has already outpaced recent years by a wide margin.

What Residents Should Watch For

For those in or near the evacuation zones, several practical steps matter most in the coming days:

Monitor official channels and apps like Watch Duty for real-time updates
Keep go bags packed and vehicles fueled in case orders expand
Plan for a multi-day absence rather than assuming a quick return
Follow evacuation routes designated by local authorities rather than improvising paths

With winds continuing to complicate containment efforts, officials say the situation remains fluid, and residents throughout Washoe County should expect conditions to keep shifting in the hours ahead.