national
Wildfires Near Spokane Destroy 600 Structures and Displace 60,000 Residents
Just the facts
Three main blazes—the Old Trails fire, Fairview fire, and Meadowview fire—burned over 8.2 square miles near Spokane, Washington, causing widespread power outages that initially affected 30,000 customers of Avista Corp. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown described the fires as the region's worst natural disaster, prompting evacuations that included patients from the local U.S. Veterans Affairs hospital. Emergency authorities established a central evacuation shelter at the Spokane Convention Center to accommodate displaced families. Federal response teams from California were dispatched to assist local crews as high wind gusts between 35 and 45 mph hindered containment efforts. Air quality red flag warnings were issued across eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, western Idaho, and western Montana.
Why this is news
Fast-moving wildfires burning in eastern Washington state forced the evacuation of approximately 60,000 residents and destroyed at least 600 structures in and around Spokane. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency as local and federal firefighting resources were deployed.
Developments timeline
- Emergency officials in Washington state reported that the total number of structures destroyed by the Spokane-area wildfires increased to over 700, with an additional 400 buildings awaiting assessment.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.