Rapidly moving wildfires in eastern Washington state have forced large numbers of residents in Spokane to urgently evacuate their homes, triggering Level 3 “go now” evacuation orders that dictate residents leave immediately. The emergency stems from multiple fast-moving blazes in and around the city, with the largest threat driven by the Old Trails Fire. According to the Watch Duty app, the Old Trails Fire started on Saturday afternoon local time and grew significantly, reaching over 3,500 acres.
Spokane Issues Level 3 Evacuations Amid Rapidly Spreading Wildfires
The wind-driven blaze swept across northwest Spokane on Saturday, jumped the Spokane River, and burned into Riverside State Park. Walls of flames destroyed dozens of homes and other structures in the Indian Trail neighborhood and across other parts of the city. The wind blew smoke and flames across North Indian Trail Road so quickly that firefighters yelled at nearby people to run. The National Weather Service issued a rare Particularly Dangerous Situation
red flag alert for eastern Washington, signaling the highest level of wildfire danger due to extreme wind and dry conditions.
State and Local Emergency Responses Mobilized
In response to the escalating crisis, Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide wildfire emergency on Saturday. Spokane County also declared its own local state of emergency to support timely response efforts. The Washington National Guard was mobilized late Saturday night, making 30 members available to Spokane authorities to assist with emerging needs, traffic control, evacuations, and firefighting support.
Major Gen. Gent Welsh, Washington’s adjutant general, stated at a news conference that the fire conditions are the worst he has seen in his 38-year career. Assistant Spokane Fire Chief Lance Dahl noted that while the department typically has 69 firefighters working, about 100 were on duty Saturday to prepare for high winds. Dahl emphasized the immense challenge, stating that in a wind-driven event of this size, no fire department in the United States can handle it alone. Spokane police and the Spokane Sheriff’s Office also increased their staffing levels.
Shelters, Evacuations, and Strains on Infrastructure
Emergency shelters and evacuation centers opened across the region to accommodate displaced residents, patients, and animals. The city of Spokane opened a fire evacuation center at the Spokane Convention Center located at 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. after power was lost at an earlier evacuation center at Spokane Falls Community College.
Infrastructure was heavily impacted as power company Avista implemented public safety shutoffs due to elevated fire risk.
Historic Wildfire Season Across Washington State
The fires in Spokane are part of a broader historic wildfire crisis across Washington state, which is experiencing a record-setting statewide drought. Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove noted that firefighters were actively tackling 10 large fires statewide. Courtny James and Jessica Watson, spokespersons for the Washington Department of Natural Resources, confirmed that firefighters maintained zero containment on the Old Trails Fire as darkness fell, while the cause of the blaze remained under investigation.
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