Wind-Whipped Inferno Slams Spokane

Wildfires burning out of control near Spokane have destroyed about 600 homes and buildings and forced roughly 5,000 households to flee, making this one of the most damaging fire outbreaks in Washington state history.

Story Snapshot

About 5,000 homes evacuated and roughly 600 structures destroyed by wildfires still uncontained Sunday near Spokane.
Fires have burned more than 8.2 square miles around Spokane, Washington’s second-largest city.
Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and burn ban as fires spread across more than 250,000 acres.
The National Weather Service issued a rare “particularly dangerous situation” warning, and the National Guard mobilized for wildfire duty for the first time.

Homes And Businesses Lost Near Spokane

Authorities say about 5,000 homes have been evacuated and roughly 600 homes, businesses, and other buildings have burned in wildfires that remained uncontained Sunday across eastern Washington. The fires scorched more than 8.2 square miles around Spokane, the state’s second-largest city, sending residents fleeing with little warning as flames jumped roads and rivers.

The Old Trails Fire started around noon Saturday, burning brush and grass before wind pushed it into neighborhoods. It jumped the Spokane River and forced thousands more people from their homes within hours, according to fire officials tracking the blaze in real time.

State Declares Emergency As Crews Battle Dozens Of Blazes

Wildfires across more than a quarter million acres in Washington state have triggered widespread evacuations and power outages in the Spokane area. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and burn ban Saturday morning, and about 4,000 firefighters worked to contain more than a dozen fires burning at once.

Governor Ferguson also said federal disaster aid had been approved as the Upriver Fire destroyed homes in Spokane Valley and forced more evacuations. State officials mapped seven large wildfires actively burning at the same time, stretching firefighting resources across the region.

Rare Storm Warning Fuels Fast-Moving Flames

The National Weather Service issued its most serious fire alert, a red-flag warning for a “particularly dangerous situation,” covering large parts of eastern Washington and the surrounding region. Forecasters warned that powerful winds and high heat would push fire risk to extreme levels heading into the weekend.

Washington’s National Guard mobilized for wildfire response for the first time in state history. Officials say more than 1,000 fires have ignited across Washington since January, burning roughly 425,000 acres, an area bigger than 660 square miles of forest, neighborhoods, and tribal land.

Older Fires Still Burning Across The Region

The destruction near Spokane comes as other major fires keep burning statewide. The Kaiser Canyon Fire on the Colville Reservation grew past 100,000 acres by late July, forcing evacuation orders in the town of Nespelem and closing a state highway. Multiple other blazes, including the Lyons Ferry and Neff Jones fires, have each burned thousands of acres in southeast Washington counties.

This year’s damage echoes past disasters. A 2023 wind-driven fire near Medical Lake killed one person and destroyed 185 structures, a reminder that fast winds can turn small brush fires into major disasters within hours. Emergency officials have not yet confirmed a final death toll or full damage count from this weekend’s fires.

About 5,000 homes have been evacuated, and about 600 homes, businesses and other buildings have been destroyed by wildfires that remained uncontained Sunday in eastern Washington state.https://t.co/BDdgLaR1D6

— KYW Newsradio – NOW ON 103.9 FM! (@KYWNewsradio) August 2, 2026

Families losing homes and businesses in a single weekend highlights a stress many Americans share regardless of politics: aging infrastructure, stretched emergency budgets, and a changing climate are straining local governments’ ability to keep people safe. Spokane residents now face months of rebuilding as fire crews continue fighting flames that remain far from fully contained.