Firefighters reinforce containment lines as heat and wind raise Spokane wildfire risk
Crews have contained the perimeters of three Spokane-area fires, but rising temperatures and lower humidity are expected to worsen conditions, keeping evacuation zones in place.
Firefighters in Spokane have used recent cooler weather to establish containment lines around three wildfires that have displaced roughly 67,000 residents since they ignited last weekend. The lines are now being reinforced as forecasts call for temperatures to climb into the upper 90s Fahrenheit with reduced humidity and stronger breezes later in the week.
The Old Trails Fire, which authorities say was deliberately set, has destroyed about 850 structures. Two additional blazes, the Autumn Lane and Fairview fires, are also under investigation for human causes. No fatalities have been reported, and damage assessments are ongoing.
"We are not going to be downgrading these zones in any large way for many, many more days to come," Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels told reporters, emphasizing that premature re-entry could endanger residents.
Many evacuees remain in a convention-center shelter, hotels, or with relatives, uncertain when they can return. One resident, Debra Curran, said her house survived but her husband, who has ALS, cannot be moved until fire risk subsides.
The Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center evacuated 27 patients to local hospitals and temporary shelters when the fire approached, according to spokesperson Bret Bowers. The facility itself was not damaged, though several staff members lost homes.
Washington state officials highlighted the strain on firefighting resources, noting 16 uncontained wildfires across the state burning more than 672 square miles and involving over 7,000 personnel. "We’re looking down the barrel at one of the worst fire seasons in state history," said Thomas Kyle-Milward of the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell said federal officials briefed senators on the situation and affirmed that keeping ground crews and aircraft in the Northwest remains a priority, noting the region faces the nation's highest fire risk.
Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, has been charged with arson for the Old Trails Fire and is expected to be arraigned. He denies starting the blaze, despite prior involvement in two separate fire investigations last year.