The Center Square) – Some evacuation orders west of Reno have been lifted as more than 900 firefighters continue to battle the Hawk Fire, which burned just over 15,000 acres and led to the initial evacuation of about 90,000 residents.
The fire began around 11:30 a.m. Saturday near the Hawk Meadow Trail in the Somersett area and spread rapidly due to high winds.
Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency over the weekend.
“This is an active and rapidly evolving situation, and I urge everyone in the affected areas to remain vigilant and follow the direction of local officials,” the Republican governor said in a news release. “The state is fully engaged, and we are working alongside local authorities and first responders to deploy every available resource.”
Conditions have begun to stabilize.
“The current footprint is holding within that 15,000-acre spread,” Chris Buckley, a U.S. Forest Service public information officer, told The Center Square. “We’ve lifted some of those evacuations in the Somersett area where the fire started, so those people are being let back in.”
No fatalities have been reported, though six to seven injuries have been confirmed.
Portions of U.S. 395 between Reno and the California state line remain closed.
Ground and air crews are focusing on strengthening perimeter containment lines and extinguishing hot spots. Still, firefighters face ongoing challenges with hot, dry weather and no significant rainfall forecast for the Reno area this week.
As of Monday afternoon, the Hawk Fire had destroyed 32 homes and damaged six homes, Buckley told The Center Square. She added that the fire was 27% contained.
There are no estimates on how much of taxpayers’ money has been spent to fight the fire, Buckley said.
Officials are holding daily live-streamed briefings at 2 p.m. on the Hawk Fire 2026 Facebook page.
“We have a community meeting tonight as well,” said Buckley. “That’s going to be in downtown Reno.”
While the Hawk Fire represents the immediate threat to populated areas near Reno, a state online dashboard shows fire activity stretching across multiple Nevada counties.
Washoe County itself is battling additional blazes, including the 40,691-acre Stallion Fire, while regional incident trackers monitor larger blazes such as the 93,733-acre Bug Fire near the Lassen County border region and the 52,000-acre Mouse Meadow Fire in Nye County.