Burning Man has asked people travelling to Nevada to allow for additional travel time while crews continue working on the Hawk Fire northwest of Reno.
The fire had burned 15,085 acres and was 93 percent contained by Wednesday, according to Operations Section Chief Randy Lamb at a briefing covered by local news. At the same briefing, Truckee Meadows Fire Chief Richard Edwards said 47 homes had been destroyed and 14 damaged.
Officials have said the fire was human-caused, and the investigation into responsibility is continuing. Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and mobilised the Nevada National Guard.
The road situation has since eased. All closures near the fire, including Highway 395, have been lifted, and the event's statement asked travellers passing through Reno and Sparks to confirm lodging directly with businesses rather than assuming reservations hold, and to avoid unofficial routes around closures.
The statement also set out how it wants attendees to behave in a region that is still dealing with the aftermath. It asked people to support local businesses while remembering that some of those resources are being used by displaced residents, and to treat neighbours, first responders and hospitality workers with patience and care.
Burning Man Project shared links to the Northern Nevada Wildfire Relief Fund and to a Burners Without Borders page carrying travel guidance for the region, including for the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, whose reservation is separately recovering from the nearby Stallion Fire.
The event opens on August 30 and runs to September 7 in the Black Rock Desert. It has already lost one long-standing fixture this year, with Mayan Warrior's art car sitting out the 2026 edition. The dates are on the festival tracker, alongside the rest of the site's electronic coverage.
The facts
- The Hawk Fire had burned 15,085 acres and was 93 percent contained by Wednesday
- Fire Chief Richard Edwards said 47 homes were destroyed and 14 damaged
- Officials say the fire was human-caused and the investigation continues
- Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County
- Road closures near the fire, including Highway 395, have been lifted
- Burning Man runs August 30 to September 7 in the Black Rock Desert
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