Patients at Nevada hospital forced to EVACUATE as devastating Hawk fire rapidly rips through the Silver State

By ELIOT FORCE, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 15:50, 23 August 2026 | Updated: 15:58, 23 August 2026 A Nevada hopsital is evacuating patients amid a devastating brush fire that is tearing through the state.  The fast-moving Hawk Fire is currently blazing across more than 10,500 acres in the Silver State, having started outside of Reno on Saturday and moving toward the city center.  As of Sunday morning, it was zero percent contained.  Northwest Specialty Hospital in Western Reno has begun evactuating patients, per 2News Nevada.  'The safety and well-being of our rehabilitation and behavioral health patients and staff remain the highest priority and we are evacuating out of an abundance of caution,' the hospital said in a statement.  'Patients have been safely transported to appropriate locations where their care will continue without interruption – no patients or staff remain in the building.' The hospital added that families of patients have been notified about the evacuation, and that it is working with first responders to safely close the facility.  Normal operations will resume once the building is once again deemed safe for use. The Hawk Fire had spread to more than 10,500 acres in Nevada as of Saturday night, causing evacuations in the Reno area As of Sunday morning, the fire was zero percent contained. Republican Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County Northwest Specialty Hospital in Western Reno has begun evactuating patients 'out of an abundance of caution,' the hospital said in a statement Thousands of Reno residents have also already been directed to evacuate their homes.  'Go now' evacuation orders were in effect for north and northwest of Somersett, north of Verdi, the west side of Golden Valley, Lemmon Valley and Stead by Saturday night. Other portions of the latter three areas were also told to 'get set' to leave.  In total, that meant that more than 6,000 people were under some sort of evacuation directive. Republican Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County, where Reno is, because of the Hawk Fire, which he said was 'spreading quickly and threatening homes and structures.' He reiterated the evacuation orders and noted that the fire was an 'active and rapidly evolving situation.' The Hawk Fire started around 11.30am on Saturday about one mile north of Cold Creek Trail, near Somersett, according to the Reno Gazette Journal. Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve, an independent, said Saturday night that structures had already been burned as a result of the fire, though she did not share specific details. 'Your life is more important than a building,' Schieve said. 'Evacuating before the fire arrives also allows our firefighters to focus their efforts on battling the blaze.' The Washoe County Sheriff's Office in Reno urged locals to 'GO NOW' Saturday evening on X, alongside a photo depicting a gigantic plume of smoke. An evacuation site had been set up at Hall 4 of the Reno Sparks Convention Center on 4590 S. Virginia Street, authorities said. The Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District said earlier that the fire was moving northeast towards North Virginia Street between Seneca Drive and Copperfield Drive. It threatened roughly 1,000 homes as a result, according to the fire district. US Route 395 was closed in both directions from Parr Boulevard to Red Rock Road on Saturday night because of the massive fire, according to the Reno Fire Department. This is a breaking news story. More to follow.