# Hawk Fire Near Reno Nearly Contained After Forcing Thousands to Evacuate With Pets

Source: https://dogfriendlylasvegas.com/dog-news/local-dog-news/hawk-fire-near-reno-nearly-contained-after-forcing-thousands-to-evacuate-with-pets/
Published: 2026-08-30

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The Hawk Fire northwest of Reno reached 98 percent containment Saturday, capping a week that forced tens of thousands of Washoe County residents to evacuate alongside their dogs and other animals.

 

The fire burned about 15,085 acres after starting on August 22 near Somersett, destroying 47 homes and buildings, reports [KOLO](https://www.kolotv.com/2026/08/29/firefighters-report-progress-suppression-repair-human-caused-hawk-fire/).

 

Most evacuation areas have reopened, though officials say trails, roads, and recreation areas near the burn scar will stay closed until mop-up and safety work finishes.

 

We’ve followed Washoe County’s wildfire season closely this summer, from the [Bug Fire’s rapid spread near Reno](https://dogfriendlylasvegas.com/dog-news/local-dog-news/bug-fire-near-reno-prompts-pet-evacuation-shelters-as-thousands-flee-homes/) to the [Stallion Fire’s threat near Pyramid Lake](https://dogfriendlylasvegas.com/dog-news/local-dog-news/new-stallion-fire-breaks-out-near-pyramid-lake-prompting-evacuation-warnings/), and the Hawk Fire adds a third major blaze that sent pet owners scrambling for shelter space.

 

At the height of the evacuations, roughly 87,000 people were urged to leave their homes, and officials directed residents not to bring pets to the main evacuation site at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

 

Instead, dog owners were told to take small animals to Washoe County Regional Animal Services at 2825 Longley Lane in Reno, [the same shelter that took in dogs displaced by the Bug Fire](https://dogfriendlylasvegas.com/dog-news/local-dog-news/washoe-county-shelter-still-sheltering-displaced-dogs-as-bug-fire-tops-88000-acres/) earlier this summer.

 

A separate large-animal shelter operated at the Ironwood Event Center for evacuated livestock.

 

Some evacuees described difficult first nights trying to keep their dogs safe and calm.

 

One Silver Knolls resident said he slept in the bed of his truck so his dogs could have more room in the cab, before eventually finding a pet-friendly hotel room near the Reno airport.

 

Dog owners in Northern Nevada who were displaced this summer can find [free pet-essentials backpacks](https://dogfriendlylasvegas.com/dog-news/local-dog-news/reno-pet-groups-step-in-to-help-dogs-displaced-by-northern-nevada-wildfires/) through Spoiled Petz in Reno while supplies last, an effort we covered earlier this month.

 

With the fire nearly out, Washoe County residents are being reminded to keep a pet go bag ready, including food, medication, a leash, and current vaccination records, since wildfire season in Northern Nevada is not over.