Wildfires have ravaged Washington state this weekend, displacing tens of thousands of residents and destroying at least 390 square miles of land. Officials are calling the blaze one of the worst natural disasters in the state's history.
In the Spokane area, the state's second-largest city, approximately 700 buildings have been destroyed, a number expected to rise. As many as 67,000 people have been ordered to evacuate. The cause of the fires remains under investigation.
While calmer winds and lower temperatures on Monday offered some relief to firefighters, the National Weather Service forecasts a return to hot and dry conditions by midweek. The state's entire congressional delegation has requested President Donald Trump approve an expedited emergency declaration to aid recovery efforts.
"Hundreds of people have completely lost their homes and farms, and many are prohibited from returning to their homes or neighborhoods as crews continue to extinguish smoldering embers," the delegation stated.
Destructive Scale of Fires
In some Spokane neighborhoods, the fires left behind blackened vehicles and twisted metal, with only brick fireplaces and foundations remaining of destroyed homes. Other houses nearby were spared, with residents continuing to water their properties.
Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels reported that the county initially received nearly 300 missing person reports. By Monday, all but 14 had been cleared. Authorities are working to contact the remaining 14 individuals, though they are not yet presumed missing.
Mayor Lisa Brown indicated that assessments are ongoing and it could be weeks before residents are allowed to return to their properties, depending on their location.
Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency on August 1, citing four consecutive years of drought conditions, unusually high temperatures, and high winds as contributing factors to the record-setting fires.
Authorities cautioned against flying drones near the burned areas, as it could impede aerial firefighting operations. Patients from the U.S. Veterans Affairs hospital in Spokane were among those evacuated.
Wider Western US Wildfires
The Spokane fires are part of a larger pattern of intense wildfire activity across the Western United States. In western Idaho and eastern Oregon, a lightning-caused fire has burned over 530 square miles, threatening over 600 homes and 800 other structures. In central Utah, a blaze quadrupled in size over the weekend, killing more than 100 cattle and threatening the town of Fillmore.
Climatologists point to a recurring pattern of warming winters and severe snow droughts contributing to the increased wildfire risk. Daniel Swain, a climatologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, noted this trend has been observed annually since the early 21st century, referencing similar devastating fires in California, Spain, France, and Hawaii.
In Spokane, approximately 400 displaced individuals are being housed at the city's convention center, which has been converted into a shelter. Local utility Avista reported over 6,445 customers without power due to the fires early Monday.
