A fast-moving wildfire near the Nevada-California border has injured at least six people and forced 42,000 residents to evacuate as it surged toward Reno, the largest city in northwestern Nevada, on Sunday, 24 August. The blaze, known as the Hawk Fire, remained completely uncontained as authorities scrambled to protect lives and infrastructure.

Scale of the Fire

The Hawk Fire, which ignited on Saturday, had scorched more than 13,000 acres (approximately 53 square kilometres) by Sunday, fire officials confirmed at a press conference. The fire remained zero percent contained, with officials describing extreme fire behaviour driven by strong winds pushing flames through dry, light fuels at rapid speed.

Beyond those already evacuated, an additional 45,000 people were placed under evacuation warnings, meaning the total population at immediate risk exceeded 87,000. Several structures have been confirmed destroyed, though a full damage assessment was not immediately available.

Casualties and Power Outages

Of the six injured, three were civilians and three were first responders. Approximately 10,000 customers in Washoe County were without power on Sunday. Reno serves as the county seat and most populous city of Washoe County, placing it at the centre of the crisis.

State of Emergency Declared

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency for Washoe County on Saturday night, mobilising state resources alongside local authorities and first responders. In an official statement, Lombardo said: '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 state is fully engaged, and we are working alongside local authorities and first responders to deploy every available resource to protect lives, safeguard communities, and keep Nevadans out of harm's way.'

The governor reinforced his warning on Sunday morning, urging residents in affected areas to 'stay vigilant and keep yourself informed.'

Broader Pattern of Western US Wildfires

The Hawk Fire comes weeks after a separate wildfire in Southern California — dubbed the Summit Fire — exploded to nearly 2,700 acres (approximately 10.9 square kilometres) in July, forcing evacuations amid a dangerous heat wave. That blaze was reported near Llano, a small community near the Los Angeles and San Bernardino county line, and was also zero percent contained as of Saturday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. This is the second major wildfire emergency in the western United States within weeks, underscoring the region's escalating fire season risk driven by prolonged drought and extreme heat conditions.

What Comes Next

Containment efforts are ongoing, with wind conditions remaining a critical variable. Residents in evacuation zones are advised to follow official directives and avoid returning until authorities issue the all-clear. Fire officials have not yet provided a timeline for containment.