Wildfires Explode Near Spokane, Washington, Forcing Mass Evacuations

Fast-moving wildfires fueled by drought, dry vegetation and powerful winds tore through neighborhoods near Spokane, Washington, over the weekend, destroying or damaging at least 600 structures and forcing roughly 60,000 people to evacuate.

Explosive Fire Growth Leaves Spokane-Area Neighborhoods in Ruins

The Old Trails, Fairview and Autumn Lane fires ignited Saturday and burned more than 7,500 acres across Spokane and Stevens counties, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources. All three remained uncontained Sunday as crews worked to assess damage and protect threatened communities.

The Old Trails Fire, the largest of the three, burned about 3,500 acres northwest of Spokane after rapidly spreading through grass and brush, crossing the Spokane River and reaching residential neighborhoods. Patients were evacuated from the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center, and thousands of customers lost power as the fires damaged transmission lines. No deaths or serious injuries had been reported as of Sunday, though officials said damage assessments were continuing.

Spokane Deputy Fire Chief Kris Maynard described crews racing to keep up with the flames' pace. He said the fire moved unusually fast given the dry conditions and sudden winds, and that firefighters focused first on saving lives while also trying to protect homes.

Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide wildfire emergency Saturday and imposed restrictions on most outdoor burning through Sept. 30.

Drought and Dangerous Winds Set the Stage for Rapid Fire Spread

The National Weather Service issued a rare "particularly dangerous situation" Red Flag Warning Saturday for parts of central and eastern Washington, including the Spokane area, as westerly winds reached 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. Combined with prolonged drought and extremely dry vegetation, those winds created conditions for explosive fire spread.

Washington is now in its fourth consecutive statewide drought. More than 1,000 fires had burned roughly 425,000 acres across the state by the start of August, the most acreage burned since 2021. The causes of the Spokane-area fires remain under investigation, though lightning has sparked numerous other blazes across the Northwest, and dry thunderstorms could ignite additional fires with little or no rain to accompany them.

What's Next

Winds are expected to ease somewhat early this week, but wildfire danger will stay very high across the Northwest given the dry vegetation and widespread drought. A heat dome is forecast to strengthen over the Rockies later this week, pushing highs back into the 90s across much of the region while coastal areas stay cooler. Mostly dry weather through mid-August could deepen drought conditions further and keep fire danger elevated.

Weather changes fast, so help your community stay prepared. Share this story with friends, family, or your group chat, and keep your forecast in the now with Weather Forecast Now.