Evacuations ordered in Washington state as wildfire spreads through Spokane
Governor Bob Ferguson of Washington declared a state of emergency due to record-setting wildfires fueled by high temperatures and winds, with over 200,000 acres burning across eastern Washington. The fires, including the rapidly spreading Old Trails Fire, prompted Level 3 evacuation warnings in parts of Spokane County amid drought conditions. A statewide prohibition on outdoor and agricultural burning has been enacted through September to help prevent further fires. The National Weather Service issued warnings of critical fire weather conditions in the Pacific northwest, with Idaho, Montana, and Oregon also at risk for erratic fire behavior. This year has already become one of the most active wildfire seasons on record, and officials are urging residents to avoid igniting new fires, as firefighters are stretched thin.
Gov. Bob Ferguson (D-WA) declared a state of emergency on Saturday as “unusually high temperatures and high winds” exacerbated record-setting wildfires and prompted evacuations throughout Spokane County and surrounding areas.
“More than 200,000 acres are burning in 12 large fires” across eastern Washington, the announcement said, as the state “is in the midst of a record-setting fourth consecutive statewide drought.” The “Old Trails Fire” spread rapidly throughout the afternoon on Saturday, prompting multiple Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation warnings to be issued to multiple neighborhoods in the western part of Spokane, according to the Spokane County Evacuation Map and local station KHQ.
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The announcement also featured a “statewide prohibition on most outdoor and agricultural burning” through the end of September as Ferguson urged “all Washingtonians to do their part to protect our state during these extreme conditions.” This last happened in 2021, according to the Seattle Times.
The National Weather Service said Friday that “strong winds and low humidity will produce critical to extremely critical fire weather conditions from the Northwest into the northern Rockies on Saturday and Sunday.” Idaho, Montana, and Oregon are also at risk of additional fire spread and “erratic fire behavior.”
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“This year has already been one of our busiest wildfire years on record, and we just started August,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove.
“Our firefighters are already stretched thin across the state, and with more heat and wind expected this weekend and for the rest of the summer, any new spark on our tinder dry landscapes can lead to another devastating wildfire. I’m urging all Washingtonians to not be that spark.”
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