Wildfires force evacuation of 60,000 in Spokane area
Around 60,000 residents were evacuated as wildfires burned more than 8 square miles around Spokane, Washington, destroying hundreds of structures and prompting a state of emergency.
Wildfires raging in eastern Washington have forced the evacuation of roughly 60,000 people from the Spokane area, destroying at least 600 homes, businesses and other structures. The three fires — known as the Old Trails, Fairview and Meadowview fires — have burned about 8.2 square miles (21 square kilometers) near the city, while a total of 390 square miles (1,000 square kilometers) have burned across the state.
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell warned that the region remains in danger, saying, "We are not out of danger. The next couple of days will be challenging." The National Weather Service has issued air-quality warnings for eastern Washington and surrounding states, and a red-flag alert for the area due to expected dry, windy conditions.
High winds of 35-45 mph are channeling through steep canyons along the Spokane River, creating turbulent fire-spreading scenarios, according to Benjamin Cossel, a public information officer for the federal response team. He noted that the terrain and weather are both working against firefighting efforts.
Authorities have opened a shelter at Spokane’s main convention center, and utilities are working to restore power after about 10,000 customers lost electricity. The governor declared a state of emergency on Saturday, and federal, state and local officials continue to coordinate the response as nearby fires in Idaho, Oregon and Montana also burn large areas of grassland and forest.