Hawk Fire: Sierra County evacuation warnings for destructive wildfire burning in Nevada

14,800 customers in the Truckee area were without power after a transmission line was de-energized due to the proximity of the fire

Nijzel Dotson

A wildfire burning in Nevada that has destroyed homes and injured several people continues to threaten tens of thousands of residents, even prompting evacuation warnings in Sierra County, California.

The Hawk Fire started around 11:20 p.m. Saturday, northwest of Reno, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

At least six people, including three firefighters, have been injured. It is not known how many homes have burned since the fire sparked.

As of 9:59 p.m. Sunday, the fire has burned at least 15,051 acres as 720 personnel try to combat the flames.

Highway 395 in Washoe County, Nevada, is closed in both directions from Parr Boulevard to Red Rock Road due to the fire, according to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.

The Hawk Fire is burning northeast of Verdi. Sierra County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuation warnings for zones E024 and E061, which include the Verdi and Long Valley areas of eastern Sierra County.

Image no longer available

Sierra County Evacuation Warnings

Image no longer available

See the evacuation map in California.

This content is imported from infogram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

See evacuation orders for Nevada below.

This content is imported from infogram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Under an evacuation warning, you should be prepared to leave your home if necessary.

The Reno-Sparks Convention Center at 4590 South Virginia Street is available as a shelter, the Forest Service said. Evacuees can access the center from Kietzke Lane and enter through Door 20F on the Kietzke side.

Small animals can be taken to the Washoe County Regional Animal Services at 2825 Longley Lane, while larger animals can be taken to the Ironwood Event Center at 5600 Whiskey Springs Road.

Due to the fire, the Truckee Donner Public Utility District said it triggered emergency de-energization outages that impacted more than 14,000 customers on Saturday.

“NV Energy enacted an emergency de-energization of the transmission line that feeds our system due to its proximity to the Hawk Fire near Verdi,” Truckee Donner Public Utility District said on Facebook.

The public utility district updated its post just before midnight on Saturday to report power had been restored to all customers.

Several strike teams from California have been deployed to help fight the Hawk Fire.

The U.S. Forest Service said the wind-driven fire is rapidly spreading through light, flashy fuels. Warmer temperatures and dry vegetation are posing a challenge for firefighters.

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.

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency and has activated the state’s National Guard to assist with the fire.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google