When the Hawk Fire forced a mass evacuation of Somersett, Nevada, residents faced a frantic scramble to decide what to take and what to leave behind. On Tuesday, 2 News Nevada spoke with several homeowners who described the emotional toll of abandoning their homes and the lingering concerns as they return.
Choosing what to pack
Alan Drew, a longtime Somersett resident, recalled the difficult choices his family faced. “We were packing up things and were torn between packing up what we needed just to stay in a hotel for a couple of days, and what we wanted to take in case the house went up, and we lost it,” he said. “So it was kind of a panic, deciding what to take.”
Seeing the burn scar
Other interviewees described the shock of returning to a landscape marked by a deep burn scar. Greg Valenti, who spent the evacuation with his daughter in Sacramento, said, “The destruction is really significant. I hike and ride my dirt bike up back there, and I’m afraid to see what it’s going to look like when we get up here.”
While many homes escaped serious damage, the loss of wildlife habitat and the altered appearance of familiar trails left residents uneasy about future outdoor recreation.
Calls for better preparedness
Several community members expressed frustration with the speed of evacuation orders. “Going through this evacuation has us wondering how city officials can be better prepared for future fires,” one resident noted, adding that the process felt “too much of a challenge” when told to leave quickly.
Jan Bishop, a Stead resident, emphasized the need for proactive planning. “Developing a neighborhood, we need to be thinking about this ahead of time. So our people, who we elect downtown to look at these issues, they need to be looking at all the possibilities to help the residents to be as safe as possible as they can.”
Education as a key tool
Across the interviews, a common theme emerged: the importance of fire‑safety education. Residents urged local schools, churches, and community groups to provide information on how to create defensible space, prepare emergency kits, and understand evacuation routes. Such knowledge, they argued, could reduce panic and protect both property and lives in future incidents.
The Hawk Fire, which continues to smolder in parts of Washoe County, serves as a stark reminder that wildfires are a recurring threat in Nevada’s high‑desert environment. As Somersett families rebuild routines and restore their sense of normalcy, they hope that lessons learned will translate into stronger community resilience and more effective coordination with county officials.
Looking ahead
Local leaders have pledged to review evacuation protocols and to increase outreach on fire‑prevention measures. For now, Somersett residents are focused on returning to their daily walks, restoring wildlife habitats, and supporting one another as the community heals.
Original reporting: 2news.com — read the source article.
