Spokane wildfires destroy hundreds of homes as evacuations continue
Fast-moving wildfires have devastated neighborhoods in Spokane, Washington, reducing hundreds of structures to ash and forcing thousands to flee. Officials report no confirmed casualties yet, but the situation remains dangerous with fires still uncontained.
Rapidly spreading wildfires tore through neighborhoods in the northwestern US city of Spokane on Sunday, leaving a trail of destruction as hundreds of structures were reduced to cinders. Thousands of residents were ordered to evacuate their homes on Saturday and overnight into Sunday, as three separate blazes ignited in and around the city in eastern Washington state.
The National Weather Service had warned of 'extremely critical fire weather conditions' due to powerful winds and exceptional aridity. By Sunday, winds had subsided and conditions improved somewhat, but the fires remained completely uncontained.
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown told a press conference that hundreds of homes and other buildings had been lost and that authorities were still assessing the possibility of fatalities. Sheriff John Nowels said no deaths or injuries had been reported so far, but cautioned that the scale of the disaster and the challenges of investigating within an active fire scene meant that assessment could change.
Resident Geoff Beadles, who evacuated with his fiancée and two dogs, described the devastation as heartbreaking. Another resident, Tena Risley, recounted seeing flames behind trees near her home and grabbing her dog and a few belongings before fleeing. She got stuck in traffic as fast-moving fires blocked escape routes, with 'hundreds and hundreds of cars' trying to leave.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, who declared a state of emergency, noted the state is experiencing a fourth consecutive year of drought, with climate change contributing to destructive wildfire conditions. He said he had requested federal resources and had spoken with President Donald Trump about the severity of the situation.
David Upthegrove, head of the state's Department of Natural Resources, said the Spokane blaze was one of 15 major wildfires burning across Washington, calling this an extraordinary and abnormal season. The largest of the three local fires, the Old Trails fire, jumped the Spokane River on Saturday afternoon and entered the city limits.
Authorities issued the highest-level evacuation alert, 'Go Now,' for swaths of northern Spokane, affecting thousands of people. By Sunday morning, the three fires had scorched a combined 5,390 acres (2,181 hectares). An evacuation shelter was opened at the Spokane Convention Center.
