Old Trails Fire forces evacuation of thousands in eastern Washington

A wildfire that began around noon on Saturday in an open area of northwest Spokane quickly spread north and east toward residential neighborhoods, crossing the Spokane River and prompting the evacuation of thousands of people. The blaze, driven by strong winds and high temperatures, produced a visible plume of orange and red flames and smoke over the region. By evening, fire officials said the fire had burned nearly four square miles (10 square kilometers) of terrain.

Courtney James, spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, said the cause of the fire was still under investigation and that firefighters had achieved zero containment as winds continued to gust. "We urge residents of Spokane to heed evacuation orders and to stay alert to changing conditions and evacuations as they are rapidly changing," James added.

Jessica Watson, another DNR spokesperson, noted that some structures had been lost, though a precise count was not yet available. Power utility Avista reported that it had implemented public safety power shutoffs in the affected area due to the elevated fire risk.