Six people have been injured as shifting winds rapidly spread the blaze toward Reno
A rapidly spreading human-caused wildfire in Nevada has injured at least six people and forced around 42,000 residents to evacuate, while tens of thousands more have been warned to prepare to leave.
The Hawk Fire broke out northwest of Reno on Saturday and had spread across more than 15,000 acres (61 square kilometers) by the following day. Three civilians and three first responders have been injured, while several structures have been destroyed.
The “GO NOW” evacuation zone has expanded to the edge of the University of Nevada, Reno, while another 45,000 people in an adjacent “GET SET” zone have been urged to leave and prepare to stay away for several days.
WATCH: Human-caused Hawk Fire explodes to 10,500 acres near Reno, Nevada; 42,000 evacuated pic.twitter.com/d95enUHNKM
— Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) August 23, 2026
Shifting and strengthening winds caused the fire to change direction rapidly and reportedly jump over fire trucks, preventing crews from reaching some hot spots as residents attempted to flee.
“It was extremely confusing,” Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said, describing how the winds repeatedly sent the flames in different directions and urging residents in evacuation-warning zones to leave. “Please get out if you can right now,” he said.
The Hawk Fire has consumed most of Mount Peavine here in Reno, NV. Many people in the north valleys area lost their homes and businesses were destroyed including a Copart warehouse and storage facility. I am located roughly 1.8 miles from the evacuation zone.@nyprepper1 pic.twitter.com/ifR9GXjpG4
— Mopar
