Pete Briant said the Wcsd threat around the Hawk Fire had “diminished significantly” on Monday afternoon as firefighters reached 27% containment near Reno. The fire had already destroyed 32 homes, and 23,000 people remained under evacuation orders while 40,000 more were under evacuation warnings at 2 p.m. local time.
Hawk Fire near Reno
The blaze began on Saturday and grew to more than 15,000 acres by Monday. Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency the same day, and nearly all schools in Washoe County were closed on Monday as road closures spread across the area, including a partial shutdown of a major highway north of the city.
More than 700 personnel were assigned to the fire on Monday, including 14 fire crews, 95 engines and 10 helicopters. Authorities said the fire was caused by humans, and seven injuries had been reported, including four civilians and three fire personnel, with no serious injuries or deaths.
Washoe County perimeter
Richard Edwards, chief of the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, said firefighters had largely eliminated the threat to communities along the southern perimeter. The fire still threatened neighborhoods along the northern perimeter, and crews said it could move to the northeast and northwest and into neighborhoods north of Highway 395.
That split picture is what affected residents need to watch. Conditions had improved enough to reduce the immediate danger in part of the fire zone, but extreme fire conditions were expected to continue for at least the next 48 hours, leaving the northern side exposed while crews worked to hold the line.
