Fire Weather Watch issued August 30 at 1:30AM PDT until August 31 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR
Western Klamath National Forest; Central Siskiyou County Including Shasta Valley; Siskiyou County from the Cascade Mountains East and South to Mt Shasta; Modoc County Except for the Surprise Valley; Klamath Basin and the Fremont-Winema National Forest
IMPACTS Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
AFFECTED AREA In California… The Scott Valley in Fire weather zone 280, Fire weather zone 281, Fire weather zone 284 excepting the southeast portion of the zone, and Fire weather zone 285. In Oregon… Fire weather zone 624, excepting the Highway 97 corridor from Modoc Point to Chemult.
WIND South winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 30 mph in the Scott Valley, and 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph in the Shasta Valley. Elsewhere, southwest winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 30 mph.
Instructions Follow all fire restrictions. Avoid activities that could cause sparks. Visit weather.gov/medford/wildfire for links to fire restrictions in your area. If you have not packet your go kit yet, now is the time to do so. This includes items like important documents and essentials you cannot live without. Fill your vehicle’s fuel tank. Visit ready.gov/kit for more information. A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions are possible during the valid watch time. These conditions could promote the rapid spread of wildfires which could become life- threatening. Check weather.gov/medford for forecast updates and a possible upgrade of the this watch to a Red Flag Warning.
Acres: 15,051 Containment: 0% Total Personnel: 720
Fire Update: Firefighters made progress holding the Hawk Fire despite the extreme fire behavior observed during the incident. Crews are working to keep the fire east of Dog Valley Road and south of U.S. Highway 395.
On portions of the fire, crews are using handline and direct attack where conditions allow. Fire behavior was less extreme than anticipated in some areas, allowing crews to hold established lines and reposition resources to reinforce suppression efforts. Crews also successfully held line through areas of heavy timber, supported by extensive retardant use.
On the west side of the fire, firefighters are working to keep the fire out of Dog Valley and in flatter terrain. Near the Somersett side of the fire, crews constructed handline with support from helicopters. Firefighters are also working around a natural gas line within the fire area.
Mountainous terrain, continuous fuels and critically dry conditions continue to challenge suppression efforts.
Fire Outlook & Weather: Over the next 12 hours, the fire is expected to continue making moderate-to high-intensity runs in pockets of dense fuels. Over the next 24 hours, backing fire with periods of running fire behavior is possible where fuels, wind and topography align.
Hot, dry and breezy conditions are expected to continue supporting active fire behavior over the next 48 hours. The fire has the potential to spread northeast and northwest, and conditions remain dynamic and subject to rapid change.
Critically dry fuels persist across the fire area. Elevated temperatures and seasonal afternoon southwest winds are expected to continue influencing fire behavior.
Evacuations & Closures: Evacuations remain in effect. Washoe County Sheriffโs Office and fire managers are in continuous coordination to determine when residents can safely return to their homes. Damage assessment teams are also working in impacted areas to evaluate conditions.
There is not currently a specific timeline for when evacuation areas will reopen. Reentry decisions are based on conditions within the fire area and the ability to safely allow residents back into affected neighborhoods. Updates will be shared as soon as those decisions are made.
Current evacuation information for Washoe County is available on the Washoe County Perimeter Evacuation Map.
Community Meeting Tonight: A Hawk Fire Community Meeting will be held tonight, August 24, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
California Building 75 Cowan Street Reno, NV 89509
Fire managers will provide an update on the incident and current suppression efforts. After the speakers finish, attendees will break into smaller group discussions, providing an opportunity to ask questions, share concerns and speak directly with incident personnel.
For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will be livestreamed on the Hawk Fire Facebook page. Public Information Officers will monitor and answer questions in the comments throughout the event.
Red Flag Warning issued August 23 at 11:59AM PDT until August 24 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR
Western Klamath National Forest; Central Siskiyou County Including Shasta Valley; Siskiyou Mountains; Eastern Rogue Valley; Southern Oregon Cascades
The National Weather Service in Medford has issued a Red Flag Warning, which is in effect from 11 AM to 8 PM PDT Monday.
IMPACTS Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
AFFECTED AREA In California, Fire Weather Zones 280 and 281. In Oregon… Fire Weather Zones 621, 622, and 623. In California, this includes Scott Valley, Shasta Valley, and the Klamath River Valley. In Oregon, this includes the Siskiyou Mountains, the Southern Cascade Mountains, and the Rogue Valley.
WINDIn Oregon, west to northwest winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts around 25 mph. In California, south to southwest winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts around 30 mph.
HUMIDITYDaytime humidities down to 8 to 15 percent.
InstructionsFollow all fire restrictions. You can find your county’s emergency sign up form as well as links to fire restrictions at weather.gov/medford/wildfire. One less spark, one less wildfire. Be sure you’re signed up for your county’s emergency alert system. Familiarize yourself with your emergency plan and make sure you listen to emergency services. Visit ready.gov/plan for more information. A Red Flag Warning is issued when we identify weather conditions that promote rapid spread of fire which may become life- threatening. This does not mean there is a fire. These conditions are either occurring now or will begin soon. It is important to have multiple ways to receive information from authorities.
Located at: 5600 Whiskey Springs Rd, Reno 89510 Turn right into the second driveway. Please check in at the main office. Please drive slowly and safely.
The fire is estimated at approx 10,500 acres. The fire experienced significant growth throughout the day, fueled by strong, gusty winds, low humidity and dry vegetation. Firefighters will continue working through the evening to protect communities, structures and critical infrastructure – per the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District
Current view of the fire above, looking at the N/W area of the fire, from the attached camera.
Additional Evacuation Warnings have been issued on the south side of the fire and the Rancho San Rafael Regional Park is closed. See the image above, The Watch Duty map or the Perimeter Evacuation Map for the exact parameters.
Additional Evacuation Orders and Warnings have been issued on the south side of the fire. See the image above, The Watch Duty map or the Perimeter Evacuation Map for the exact parameters.
In connection with the Hawk Fire evacuations, all northbound traffic on Hwy 395 is closed beginning at Parr Boulevard.
Residents evacuating from areas north of Red Rock Road must use Hwy 395 to travel north out of the area.
Southbound Hwy 395 remains open for evacuation traffic. Once on Hwy 395, all off-ramps are closed between Red Rock Rd. and Parr Blvd. Motorists must remain on the highway as they travel south toward Reno.
Please avoid the area unless necessary and allow emergency personnel room to safely continue response operations.
Please reserve 911 and emergency dispatch lines for emergencies only so they remain available for those who need immediate assistance.
The fire has now been mapped at 10,522.8 acres by FIRIS OES Intel 12. Their perimeter is visible on the Watch Duty map under the Active Fire Perimeters map layer.
Note: Fire perimeters are preliminary and indicate general burn area but do not reflect structure protection efforts by firefighters. A structure within a fire perimeter may not be damaged or destroyed.
The Reno-Sparks Livestock Event Center is NOT an evacuation center for animals. There is an event there this weekend and there is no room for evacuated animals – per the Washoe County Emergency Management
New Evacuation Warnings have been issued in the Lemmon Valley & Silver Knolls area. See the image above, The Watch Duty map or the Perimeter Evacuation Map for the exact parameters.
Additional Evacuation Orders have been issued north of Hwy 395 in the Lemmon Valley area. See the image above, The Watch Duty map or the Perimeter Evacuation Map for the exact parameters.
InstructionsFollow all fire restrictions. You can find your county’s emergency sign up form as well as links to fire restrictions at weather.gov/medford/wildfire. One less spark, one less wildfire. Be sure you’re signed up for your county’s emergency alert system. Familiarize yourself with your emergency plan and make sure you listen to emergency services. Visit ready.gov/plan for more information. A Red Flag Warning is issued when we identify weather conditions that promote rapid spread of fire which may become life- threatening. This does not mean there is a fire. These conditions are either occurring now or will begin soon. It is important to have multiple ways to receive information from authorities.
Fire Weather Watch issued August 19 at 11:53AM PDT until August 21 at 9:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR
Central Siskiyou County Including Shasta Valley; Siskiyou County from the Cascade Mountains East and South to Mt Shasta; Modoc County Except for the Surprise Valley
The National Weather Service in Medford has issued a Fire Weather Watch, which is in effect from Friday afternoon through Friday evening.
IMPACTS
Gusty winds combined with low RH could lead to the rapid spread of any new or existing fires.
AFFECTED AREA
In California… Fire weather zones 281, 284 and 285.
WIND
South to southwest 10 to 20 mph with gusts 25 to 30 mph possible.
Follow all fire restrictions. Avoid activities that could cause sparks. Visit weather.gov/medford/wildfire for links to fire restrictions in your area. If you have not packet your go kit yet, now is the time to do so. This includes items like important documents and essentials you cannot live without. Fill your vehicle’s fuel tank. Visit ready.gov/kit for more information. A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions are possible during the valid watch time. These conditions could promote the rapid spread of wildfires which could become life- threatening. Check weather.gov/medford for forecast updates and a possible upgrade of the this watch to a Red Flag Warning.
You are invited to attend the upcoming Fire Safe Council of Siskiyou County (FSCSC) Monthly Meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 5:30 PM.
This meeting’s guest speakers are Adriana Threkeld and Brian Schenone from OES. Presentation topics included updates and information regarding Ready Siskiyou Alerts, evacuation planning, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and other emergency preparedness resources.
This will be a great opportunity to learn about ongoing projects and funding opportunities relevant to our communities. Please click on the button below for the meeting agenda. We hope to see you there!
California is getting closer to adopting new โZone 0โ defensible-space regulations that would apply to the first 5 feet around homes, decks and other structures. The idea is to make that area much more ember-resistant by reducing combustible vegetation and materials immediately next to structures. CAL FIRE already recommends this, but the new Zone 0 requirements are still going through the state rulemaking process and are not fully enforceable statewide yet.
The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection is scheduled to consider the final draft of the Zone 0 regulations at its August 19, 2026 meeting. That does not mean a new rule automatically becomes law on August 19. There are still formal rulemaking, public-comment and state approval steps before the regulations become effective.
This could eventually affect things like landscaping, shrubs, trees/branches, mulch, fencing and other combustible materials located very close to a house or deck. The exact requirements are still being finalized, so I wouldnโt start ripping landscaping out based on Facebook posts โ but if youโre planning new landscaping or planting trees close to your house, itโs probably worth knowing this is coming.
CAL FIRE currently says the 0โ5 foot area is the most important area for protecting a home from wind-blown embers, while the existing Zone 1 and Zone 2 defensible-space requirements extend farther out from the structure.
Iโm sharing because this could be especially relevant around here with our wildfire risk, and I hadnโt realized how far along California was in developing the new rules. If anyone follows the Board of Forestry/CAL FIRE process locally or knows how Siskiyou County expects to implement it once finalized, Iโd be interested to hear more.
