Wildfires have ravaged eastern Washington state, destroying hundreds of buildings and forcing thousands of residents to evacuate in what officials are calling some of the most destructive fires in state history. The blazes erupted across a parched landscape over the weekend, leaving behind charred debris and leveled homes, with some neighborhoods reduced to chimneys and ash.
In the Spokane area, the state's second-largest city, approximately 700 buildings have been destroyed, a number expected to rise. Evacuation orders affected around 67,000 people. The cause of the fires remains under investigation. Fire officials stated the Spokane-area wildfires were completely uncontained, with over 1,000 firefighters on the scene and plans to double that number in the coming days. Many of the firefighters have arrived from out of state.
The fires, which had burned about 12.5 square miles by Monday, jumped roads and rivers. Smoke and haze filled the sky, though calmer winds and lower temperatures provided some relief to firefighters. However, hot and dry conditions were expected to return by midweek.
State officials are seeking federal assistance. Washington's congressional delegation sent a letter Monday to President Donald Trump requesting an expedited emergency declaration to help with the response.
Cpl. Mark Gregory of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office reported that nearly 300 initial reports of missing people had been reduced to 14 by Monday. Authorities indicated these outstanding reports likely represent individuals out of contact after evacuating, rather than people who are truly missing or in danger.
Residents described returning to scenes of complete devastation. Miriam Sim, 76, and her husband Daniel surveyed the ruins of their home of nearly 15 years, questioning their ability to rebuild at their age. Angela and Wayde Deatherage, both 49, evacuated with their son Saturday afternoon. Within 30 minutes, their security camera was sending fire notifications. Wayde Deatherage returned briefly to help a neighbor's property survive with a hose, but their own home was destroyed.
"It’s just ash," Angela Deatherage said of their home of nearly 22 years. "It’s like our house sunk down in the basement. ... There’s just so much loss for so many people."
Karen Faggioli, 61, lost her home and three vehicles, and her daughter also lost a nearby house. Despite the losses, Faggioli expressed resilience, stating, "Why cry? What’s crying going to do? I’ve been through so many tragedies myself. This is nothing. Like I told my granddaughter, ‘We’re strong — and now we get all new things.’ I’m emotionally numb."
Friends and relatives of victims have posted online appeals for financial assistance, clothing, and essential supplies.
The Washington fires are part of a larger pattern of significant blazes across the Western U.S. At least 390 square miles have burned across Washington, which has been experiencing severe drought and a limited snowpack. Authorities urged the public not to fly drones near burned areas, as they could impede aerial firefighting efforts.
Elsewhere in the West, a lightning-caused fire in western Idaho and eastern Oregon had burned over 530 square miles by Monday and threatened more than 600 homes and 800 other structures in ranching country. In central Utah, a blaze quadrupled in size over the weekend to nearly 109 square miles, killing more than 100 cattle and forcing mandatory evacuations in the southern part of Fillmore, a town of about 2,600 residents.