RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 7 sourcesSmoke and flames rise from the Hawk fire in Reno, Nevada, US, on Aug 22, 2026, in this screengrab from a video obtained from social media.
NEW YORK - Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated this weekend from the area of Reno, Nevada, and many others were under orders to leave on Aug 23 as a wildfire reached the outskirts of the state’s third-most-populous city.
About 42,000 residents have been displaced or are in active evacuations with an additional 45,000 in “be prepared to evacuate” status as the Hawk Fire threatened northern Reno, local officials said late Aug 23 morning.
Local TV footage showed flames approaching roads. In eyewitness video verified by Reuters, smoke from the hills billowed over nearby residential neighbourhoods.
Fire-tracking websites showed evacuation zones extending from the Sierra Nevada hills to the University of Nevada in north-west Reno.
The fire has burned 5,261ha so far, officials said at a press conference on Aug 23. The fire was human-caused and remains under investigation, they said.
Three civilians and three first responders have been injured, said Shane Akerson, a commander leading fire and rescue operations.
Officials first received reports of a fire off Hawk Meadow Trail at about 11.15am PDT on Aug 22 (2.15am on Aug 23, Singapore time), said Richard Edwards, chief of Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District. Firefighters on Aug 22 worked amid “extreme red flag conditions,” he said.
Red flag conditions are a combination of warm temperatures, very low humidity and strong winds that raise the risk of wildfires.
“We expect those same strong conditions to come back this afternoon,” Edwards said on Aug 23.
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency late on Aug 22 in Washoe County, which includes Reno and parts of Lake Tahoe.
“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,” Lombardo said in a statement.
Lombardo authorized the deployment of two National Guard helicopters to help fight fires and 60 National Guard personnel to support operations with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, officials said.
The Reno-Tahoe International Airport remained outside the evacuation area, and commercial flights were operating normally on Aug 23. REUTERS
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