A fast-moving wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills has forced two Northern Nevada Health System facilities in the Reno, Nev., area to evacuate patients and close, according to CBS News and The New York Times.
Both facilities remain closed with no timeline to reopen. The health system said it is in active communication with emergency response teams and will reopen each facility once crews clear the area and deem it safe, at which point it will activate an opening plan and notify the community.
Here are five things to know:
1. The scale of the disaster. The Hawk fire began Aug. 22 and has grown to more than 13,000 acres with 0% containment as of the morning of Aug. 23, according to CBS News. Approximately 90,000 Washoe County residents have been urged to evacuate, including 42,000 under mandatory orders that had reached the edge of the University of Nevada, Reno, campus. Six people, including three first responders, have been injured, and homes on Peavine Mountain have burned. The fire is believed to be human-caused, though the investigation is ongoing.
2. ER at North Valleys closed under evacuation. The ER at North Valleys, an extension of Northern Nevada Medical Center, closed at 5:22 p.m. Aug. 22 due to the fire and a mandated evacuation, according to a statement from Northern Nevada Health System. The facility said all patients had a safe transport plan and were evacuated immediately, and it asked patients not to come to the facility until the closure is lifted, directing anyone with a medical emergency to call 911.
3. Northwest Specialty Hospital evacuated patients out of “an abundance of caution.” Northern Nevada Medical Center said Aug. 23 that it began evacuating patients at Northwest Specialty Hospital, an extension of the medical center, in partnership with Washoe County under a mutual aid agreement. The hospital said its rehabilitation and behavioral health patients were transported to other locations where care would continue without interruption, and that no patients or staff remained in the building. Families of affected patients were notified, and the facility said it would resume normal operations once cleared safe by emergency responders. In total, 41 patients were transferred to other healthcare facilities, according to a statement from the system.
4. Nevada’s governor declared a state of emergency. Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County — which includes Reno and parts of Lake Tahoe — and activated the Nevada National Guard, according to CBS News. The Guard deployed two helicopter crews to support firefighting and 60 troops to help local law enforcement secure evacuated neighborhoods. Mr. Lombardo urged residents in affected areas to “remain vigilant and follow the direction of local officials.”
5. Wider community and regional strain. Nearly 10,000 homes and businesses in Washoe County were without power as of Aug. 23, and portions of Route 395 were closed. Washoe County opened the Reno-Sparks Convention Center to evacuees, and local casinos offered discounted rooms. The Hawk fire adds to a severe wildfire season across the West: Washington state has lost more than 400,000 acres this season with hundreds of homes burned in Spokane County, Ore., has seen a record 2.4 million acres burned so far in 2026, and Utah has logged more than 350,000 acres burned, according to the Times.
Northern Nevada Health System shared in a statement with Becker’s:
“We would like to remind the community to remain safe and stay away from the evacuated areas. Our thoughts are with our community, and we know this is a challenging time for all. We appreciate the work of first responders to maintain safety and provide resources to those impacted. If an individual needs emergency assistance, please dial 9-1-1 to seek care or visit the nearest emergency department.”
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