Wildfires in Washington state force 60,000 evacuations, destroy 600 structures

Aug 1, 2026

Wildfires in Spokane, Washington, have forced 60,000 people to evacuate and destroyed over 600 structures. The blazes, fueled by strong winds and a multi-year drought, remain at zero percent containment. Governor Bob Ferguson has declared a state of emergency. Officials call it the "worst natural disaster" for the region and part of an "extraordinary" fire season across the Pacific Northwest, with resources stretched thin.

Spokane area evacuations

▪Wildfires in eastern Washington state have forced the evacuation of around 60,000 people in the Spokane area.
▪No deaths or injuries have been confirmed, though officials noted the assessment is in its early stages.
▪The Old Trails Fire alone destroyed 640 structures, according to Spokane County Fire District 3 Fire Chief Cody Rohrbach.
▪Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown described the fires as "the worst natural disaster our region has faced."
▪At least 600 structures, including homes and businesses, have been destroyed by the fires in and around Spokane.
▪Major facilities in Spokane, including water reclamation plants and a U.S. Veterans Affairs hospital, were evacuated.

Fire scale across Washington

▪The Old Trails fire, one of the three Spokane blazes, jumped the Spokane River on Saturday, August 1, 2026.
▪Three separate fires near Spokane, known collectively as the Spokane Complex Fire, have burned a combined 7,708 acres.
▪There are 15 major fires burning across Washington state, which have consumed over 250,000 acres in total.
▪The three blazes are the Old Trails Fire, the Fairview Fire, and the Autumn Lane/Meadowview Fire.

Containment efforts underway

▪Fire crews from more than a dozen states and Australia, along with over 100 National Guard members, are assisting in the response.
▪Governor Bob Ferguson also issued a temporary statewide ban on outdoor burning through the end of September.
▪Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
▪As of Sunday, August 2, 2026, the Spokane-area fires were at zero percent containment.

Weather conditions forecast

▪The National Weather Service issued a "particularly dangerous situation" red flag alert for eastern Washington due to strong winds and dryness.
▪Lighter winds were forecast for Monday, August 3, 2026, but temperatures were expected to rise again later in the week.
▪The fires were exacerbated by wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph and a fourth consecutive year of drought in Washington state.

Power utility infrastructure impacts

▪As of Sunday, August 2, 2026, nearly 12,000 electricity customers in Washington, mostly in Spokane, were without power.

Regional Northwest fire situation

▪Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove described the situation as an "extraordinary wildfire season in the Pacific Northwest."
▪Dozens of wildfires are burning across the Western U.S., including a large fire in Idaho and Oregon that has burned nearly 525 square miles.