Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 8:40 a.m on Wednesday (August. 26) with comment from Nicolle Lowe, a spokeswoman with Visit Reno Tahoe.
Firefighters continue to make progress against a wind-driven fire that threatened parts of Reno over the weekend, as thousands of evacuated residents sought shelter in the city’s casinos.
As of early Tuesday, the Hawk Fire was 27% contained after burning 15,051 acres with at least 32 homes destroyed and seven people suffering minor injuries. No deaths have been reported.
Some evacuation and road closures remain in effect, according to authorities. At its peak, some 90,000 residents were under evacuation orders. Authorities said 42,000 residents had been ordered to evacuate immediately, and an additional 45,000 were in an adjacent evacuation warning zone.
Officials say the fire was caused by humans.
To assist evacuees, Reno-area casinos have offered discounts and room deals. These include Caesars’ three downtown properties, Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus, as well as Grand Sierra Resort, Nugget Casino and several other casinos.
The casinos are offering heavily discounted room rates from $49 to $59 per-night with no resort fees as locals seek short-term housing.
“Caesars like other properties in town, we’re offering discounts to those involved and being evacuated,” said Kate Whitsley, a Caesars spokeswoman. “We’re certainly very busy and everyone’s running at full speed, but everything seems to be relatively normal.”
Cheraz Ecker, general manager at the Grand Sierra Resort, said the decision to reduce their room rates was about making “it a little easier for people who need to leave their homes to find a safe and affordable place to stay.”
“We’re also incredibly grateful to the firefighters, first responders and emergency personnel working around the clock to protect our region,” Ecker said in a statement.
Nicolle Lowe, a spokeswoman with Visit Reno Tahoe, said while the fires are having a very real impact on residents in the affected areas, they are not currently seeing disruption to Reno Tahoe’s tourism and convention business.
“The fire is located up north and away from downtown, the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, and the primary areas where our visitors are staying,” Lowe told CDC Gaming. “Our convention groups remain booked and are continuing with their plans, and at this time, we have not seen cancellations or changes that would indicate a broader impact to group business.”
At the same time, Lowe said, the agency’s role as a community partner is incredibly important. Visit Reno Tahoe responded immediately when the Red Cross requested assistance, making space available at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center to support evacuation needs.
“We have the ability to expand that space if requested, while maintaining separate areas and operations so that scheduled convention activity can continue without disruption,” Lowe said. “We’re really balancing both responsibilities right now: being there for our community and providing resources where they are needed, while also keeping the visitor economy and scheduled groups moving forward.”
Lowe added that with Burning Man approaching this weekend, they also have not received any indication that those travel plans are being postponed or significantly altered because of the fire.
“We continue to monitor conditions closely and stay in communication with our partners,” Lowe added. “We are also encouraged to see containment progress moving in a positive direction.”
As of late Tuesday, none of the casinos in Lake Tahoe, Reno or Sparks has been forced to close because of the Hawk Fire, which is burning near the Nevada-California border.
Casino closure protocols
Jeniffer Morton, a spokeswoman with the Nevada Gaming Control Board, said the agency continues to monitor the situation closely and continues to take calls through their enforcement division, monitoring around the clock communication support as needed.
Should a casino need to close because of a wildfire, Morton explained that if a licensee is going to be closed for more than 30 days, the licensee will need to notify the NGCB per Nevada Gaming Commission Regulation 9.010(4).
Depending on whether there is damage, typically the licensee would temporarily close under 9.010(4). However, if the licensee was not directly affected by the fire but wanted to close because they no longer have patrons because of patrons being affected by the fire, the licensee would seek temporary closure under 9.010(2).
“The NGCB requires the licensee to email us to let us know which type of temporary closure they are seeking and how long they intend to be closed,” Morton told CDC Gaming in an email. “An extension can be requested if more time is required.”
Morton added that licensees can always call the control board for guidance.
