At least six people have been injured, and thousands of others have been forced to evacuate after a fast-spreading wildfire broke out northwest of Reno, .
Here’s what we know about the Hawk Fire
The Hawk Fire started on the morning of 22 August and spread rapidly to more than 23 square miles (60 sq km) by 23 August across the Peavine Peak area of the Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest, where homes and businesses are located near the California state line. There was zero containment, AP reported. At least three first responders and three civilians were reported injured.
US Forest Service incident commander Shane Ackerson told reporters on Sunday (23 August) that the blaze was “human-caused” and added that, as of 2 PM on Sunday (New York time), more than 13,000 acres (5,261 hectares) of land had been burned, with an unknown number of structures destroyed, Bloomberg reported.
Roughly 90,000 residents in the region have been impacted by the fire, with at least 42,000 ordered to evacuate as the “GO NOW” zone expanded to the edge of the University of Nevada. Another 45,000 people were in the adjacent evacuation warning zone. Authorities urged residents to be prepared to stay away for several days, as shifting and strengthening winds were expected to make the fire even more unpredictable. Over 1,000 first responders, including some 800 fire personnel, were working to contain the blaze.
On Sunday (local time), roughly 10,000 people were left without power in Washoe County, down from 60,000 on Saturday (22 August). Additionally, portions of US Route 395, a major north-south highway, were also closed due to the fire. Reno, which has a population of more than 280,000, is Nevada’s largest city outside the Las Vegas metropolitan area.
Nevada Governor declares state of emergency
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and called in the Nevada National Guard, including two helicopter crews for aerial firefighting and 60 troops to assist police in protecting evacuated neighbourhoods. Around 800 firefighters were also deployed to tackle the blaze.
In a statement posted on late at night on 22 August, Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve said, “If you have been told to evacuate, please don’t wait!” and added, “Structures have already been burned in this fire, and your life is more important than a building. Evacuating before the fire arrives also allows our firefighters to focus their efforts on battling the blaze.”
Why are wildfires spreading across the US?
The growing wildfire activity has raised concerns about the increasingly dry and volatile conditions fuelling fires across the US.
in the US generally runs from May through November, with activity usually peaking during the summer, according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA). In the early 1950s, the season lasted roughly five months. However, it has expanded to about 7 months amid climate change, with deteriorating weather conditions increasing the risk of wildfires. Hot, dry weather creates the conditions most conducive to .
In the Midwest, wetter conditions during winter and spring, including greater rainfall and snowfall, generally limit fire activity. In Northern California, the wetter fall and winter months mean wildfires are more common during spring and summer. August is typically the busiest month for wildfires as temperatures rise and conditions become increasingly dry. States that frequently report high numbers of wildfires include California, Georgia, , North Carolina, Florida, Arizona and Oklahoma.
Earlier this month, three wildfires north of Reno, driven by hot, dry and windy weather, forced more than 13,000 people to leave their homes, according to the Nevada National Guard.
Nevada also saw 15 new fires break out on 22 August alone. Months of dry weather, along with record-low snowfall across the American West during the past winter, have created conditions favourable for wildfires.
Over 50,000 wildfires have been reported in 2026 so far
According to the National Interagency Fire Centre, firefighters across the have responded to 50,580 wildfires that have burned more than 7.7 million acres, 129 per cent of the 10-year average for fires and 169 per cent for acres burned.
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On 22 August, 200 new fires were reported nationwide, including five new large fires, with firefighters working to contain 79 large fires and 22,122 firefighters and support personnel assigned to incidents nationwide.
According to the official data, the Northwest continues to have the most fire activity in the nation, with 29 large fires and 11 complex incident management teams assigned. All 10 geographic areas currently list at least one large fire.
This arrangement avoids jumping back and forth between the local fire and the national wildfire situation. It first finishes the Hawk Fire and the official response, then explains the broader conditions, and finally gives the national statistics.
(with agency inputs)
