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

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 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.

As of Sunday morning, the fire was zero percent contained. Northwest Specialty Hospital in Western Reno has begun evactuating patients

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.’

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.