Old Trails Fire forces thousands to evacuate as wildfires burn across Washington state
The Old Trails Fire jumped the Spokane River on Saturday, pushing into the city and prompting Level 3 'Go Now' orders for large parts of north Spokane. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency as 12 large fires burned across more than 80,900 hectares.
Fire reaches Spokane
The Old Trails Fire ignited just before noon on Saturday near Old Trails Road and West Euclid Road, west of Spokane and north of Airway Heights. Driven by strong winds and high temperatures, it spread north and east, jumping the Spokane River in the afternoon and entering the city. By 8:20 p.m., the fire had grown to 3,509 acres (about 5.5 square miles or 14 square kilometres), with zero containment. About 4,000 structures were threatened, and some had been lost, though officials did not yet have a count. The blaze sent a plume of smoke over the region, and flames were visible from the highway. The cause remained under investigation.
- Fire ignites near Old Trails Road and West Euclid Road, west of Spokane and north of Airway Heights.
- Fire spreads north and east, jumps the Spokane River and enters the city.
- About 200 homes evacuated; officials expect thousands more to be ordered out.
- Fire reaches 3,509 acres (5.5 sq mi, 14 sq km); zero containment; 60,000 without power.
Statewide emergency
Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency and a burn ban on Saturday morning, as 12 large fires burned across more than 80,900 hectares (200,000 acres) in Washington. The total area of all active fires exceeded 250,000 acres, and about 450,000 acres had burned statewide so far this summer. The Kaiser Canyon Fire in northeastern Washington was the largest at approximately 134,000 acres. Ferguson said high winds and high temperatures throughout the weekend would make firefighting more challenging.
Our state is facing a very serious situation with multiple fires.
Evacuations and power outages
The highest evacuation alert, "Go Now," was issued for large sectors of north Spokane, affecting thousands of residents. By 3:30 p.m., about 200 homes had been evacuated, but Mayor Lisa Brown said she expected that number to rise significantly. Major facilities were also evacuated, including water reclamation plants, a waste-to-energy plant, and the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. An evacuation shelter was set up at the Spokane convention center. Utility company Avista implemented public safety power shutoffs, leaving 60,000 people without electricity.
Response and conditions
About 4,000 personnel were fighting the fires, including National Guard members and firefighters from more than a dozen states. Major General Gent Welsh, adjutant general of the Washington National Guard, warned of extensive damage.
When the sun sets and rises again, we will be shocked.
The National Weather Service issued a "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warning for eastern Washington. The state is in its fourth consecutive drought year, a record, which officials said has created dangerous fire conditions. The burn ban prohibits most outdoor and agricultural burning until September 30.
Context
Dave Upthegrove, the state's commissioner of public lands, noted that this year is already among the busiest wildfire seasons on record.
This year is already one of the busiest wildfire years on record, and August has only just begun.
Nearly 34,000 lightning strikes in July sparked fires in southern British Columbia, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the season as one of the most intense in history. No injuries or fatalities had been reported in Washington as of Saturday evening.
