BWB Report Out: A Hawk Fire Update
September 28, 2026
Date 9/22/2026
When the Hawk Fire struck Northern Nevada, Burners Without Borders began reaching across its network to identify practical ways to support the people affected. Footprint Project, a long-time BWB Partner Organization, responded with an offer of 24 portable Energy Relief Kits—compact renewable-power systems that can provide charging, lighting, and essential electricity when conventional power is unavailable.
The next challenge was ensuring those resources reached trusted local hands.
BWB connected Footprint Project with Dave “Sunny” Sundstrom, a relationship developed through our ongoing collaboration with Rotary International. Sunny serves as president of the Rotary Club of Reno Sunrise, Rotary District 5190 Disaster Response Coordinator, ShelterBox liaison, and a volunteer manager with the American Red Cross. His experience across these networks provided the local knowledge and response infrastructure needed to receive, store, and distribute the kits responsibly.
By the time the shipment reached Reno on September 8, the Hawk Fire was largely extinguished and direct relief operations were concluding. While some kits may still reach people affected by the fire, we recognized an opportunity for even broader and longer-lasting impact.
The Energy Relief Kits will now be placed with local Red Cross offices and potentially response vehicles, where Disaster Action Teams can distribute them to people experiencing fires and other emergencies across Northern Nevada. That includes the smaller, less-publicized residential fires the Red Cross responds to throughout the year. The team is also exploring a system to label, recover, and reuse the kits when recipients no longer need them—allowing each unit to support multiple households and emergencies over time.
What began as a response to one wildfire has become an investment in the Reno region’s ongoing disaster preparedness.
This is the role BWB can play when disaster strikes: listening for what is needed, nurturing trusted relationships before a crisis occurs, and connecting community energy with organizations equipped to act. Footprint Project brought renewable-energy resources and disaster-response experience. Rotary brought trusted local relationships. The American Red Cross brought an established system for reaching people facing immediate loss. BWB helped build the bridge between them.
The Hawk Fire reminded us that effective response is not only about moving quickly. It is also about directing resources thoughtfully, adapting as conditions change, and leaving communities better prepared for whatever comes next.
Read More about our these aligned organizations:
– Footprint Project
– Rotary Club