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Around 600 structures were damaged or destroyed on Saturday (August 1) by three wildfires in and near Spokane, Washington. The largest of these, the Old Trails Fire, began north of Airway Heights and quickly spread across the Spokane River into more populated areas, burning approximately 3,500 acres. According to Tom Stokesberry, public information officer with California Interagency Incident Management Team 7, the 600 damaged structures include homes and outbuildings.
The fires were driven by strong winds, reaching up to 40 miles per hour, which caused the flames to spread rapidly and forced firefighters to retreat in some areas. Fortunately, there have been no reports of fatalities. The cause of the fires is still under investigation.
Evacuation orders were issued for residents in the affected areas, and shelters have been set up by the American Red Cross at the Spokane Convention Center and Spokane Falls Community College. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency and announced plans to visit Spokane to meet with responders and monitor the emergency response.
Power company Avista implemented public safety shutoffs due to the elevated fire risk. The National Weather Service had issued a "particularly dangerous situation" red flag alert for eastern Washington, warning of extreme fire weather conditions.