Washington wildfires scorch over 250,000 acres, trigger mass evacuations

Thousands of firefighters, supported by the National Guard and crews from across the U.S., are battling multiple wildfires that have engulfed over 250,000 acres in Washington state. Extreme heat and strong winds are exacerbating the blazes, leading to widespread evacuations and power outages.

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Our state is facing a very serious situation with multiple fires.

Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and issued a burn ban, describing the situation as "very serious." He noted that high temperatures and strong winds are expected to hinder firefighting efforts throughout the weekend. The state has seen nearly 450,000 acres burn so far this summer.

The Old Trails Fire in Spokane is causing particular alarm. This fast-moving blaze erupted Saturday afternoon, quickly spreading across dry brush and grass, crossing the Spokane River, and reaching residential neighborhoods. By Saturday evening, it had consumed about 3,000 acres, threatened nearly 4,000 structures, and prompted evacuations in several parts of the city.

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We urge residents of Spokane to heed evacuation orders and to stay alert to changing conditions and evacuations as they are rapidly changing.

"We urge residents of Spokane to heed evacuation orders and to stay alert to changing conditions and evacuations as they are rapidly changing," said Courtney James, spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown reported around 200 homes evacuated by late afternoon, with the number expected to rise as evacuation zones expanded. Critical facilities, including water reclamation plants, a waste-to-energy facility, and a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital, were also evacuated.

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This is not normal... Throughout the state of Washington we're seeing fires raging.

Firefighters had achieved no containment on the Old Trails Fire by Saturday evening, and its cause is under investigation. While some structures were confirmed destroyed, the full extent of the damage is still being assessed. Power utility Avista cut electricity to about 60,000 customers due to the fire threat. State Forester George Geissler identified the Spokane blaze as one of five major fire complexes burning across Washington, with the largest, the Kaiser Canyon Fire in the northeast, reaching about 134,000 acres. "This is not normal... Throughout the state of Washington we're seeing fires raging," said Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove. No fire-related deaths or injuries were reported as of Saturday evening.

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When the sun sets and the sun rises in the morning, I think we're going to be in shock to see some of the scenes that emerged out there.