Nevada Hawk Fire Destroys 47 Homes, Injures Seven Amid Evacuations

A fast-moving wildfire known as the Hawk Fire northwest of Reno, Nevada, has destroyed 47 homes and injured at least seven people, including three first responders, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

The fire began around 11:20 a.m. on Saturday and has burned over 15,000 acres as crews work to contain it. Approximately 9,300 residents on the east side of Highway 395 were allowed to return home after evacuations, while about 5,000 others remain under evacuation orders.

Most homes destroyed were on the west side of Highway 395, which has reopened following days of closure. Damage also includes one commercial structure destroyed and eight others damaged.

Reno Fire Chief David Cochran said, "It's believed the fire is human-caused but that there's no indication the fire was set intentionally."

Officials emphasized the potential for flare-ups despite no active flames, as embers can easily spread with wind.

"It is impressive that no one died in this fire because of how fast-moving the flames were when the Hawk Fire first sparked," Cochran added.

Due to power lines near the fire, emergency de-energization outages affected over 14,000 customers, with power restored to many but some electric and gas customers still without service as of Tuesday.

NV Energy clarified misinformation about reimbursing customers for food loss during outages, stating on social media the claims were inaccurate.

Washoe County Sheriff announced a resource center is being prepared for displaced residents, expected to open by Friday.

Several strike teams from California and firefighters from New Zealand and Australia have joined efforts from at least 15 states to combat the blaze. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard to assist.

The emergency room at North Valleys in Reno temporarily closed during the evacuation to ensure safety, with patients relocated to other facilities.

Authorities remind residents not to fly drones over the fire area, as civilian drones interfere with firefighting aircraft operations.