Spokane wildfires leave hundreds of homes destroyed and thousands displaced

More than 700 homes were destroyed and another 400 properties await damage assessment after three wildfires swept through Spokane County over the weekend, officials said Monday. The Old Trails, Autumn Lane and Fairview fires have scorched roughly 10,000 acres and forced the evacuation of about 67,000 people.

Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said law enforcement is trying to confirm the safety of 14 individuals who requested evacuation assistance but have not been reached, emphasizing they are not missing. "I do not want people to think that we have 14 missing people. These are people who may have called for help evacuating and many of them likely did get evacuated," he said.

Mayor Lisa Brown warned that Level 3 "go now" evacuation zones remain hazardous and that residents should remain patient, noting that return timelines could range from a week to several weeks and will be decided on a block-by-block basis. "We don’t know," she said.

Incident commander Tom Clemo said resources are focused on containing the Autumn Lane fire and protecting structures within the Old Trails and Fairview fire footprints. "We’ve got some of our best firefighters on the ground, hot shots, they’re in there as well," he said, adding that tens of thousands of structures remain at risk.

No arrests for looting have been reported, according to Sheriff Nowels and Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall. Gov. Bob Ferguson’s request for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance has not yet been approved, though officials indicated preparations are under way. "The type of direct federal assistance would include search and rescue, debris removal, medical supplies, assistance, temporary sheltering, emergency power," Ferguson said.

National Guard adjutant general Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh noted that the governor’s request is moving unusually quickly, describing the fire-affected area as a "war zone."