Wildfires raging in and around Spokane, Washington, have destroyed more than 700 buildings and forced around 65,000 people to leave their homes as the fires entered their third day.
The Spokane-area fires began on Saturday and quickly spread across communities on the outskirts of the city, Washington’s second-largest. Strong winds, extremely dry conditions and high temperatures helped the flames move rapidly, turning what started as wildland fires into a major threat to residential neighbourhoods and commercial areas.
The fires are being treated as a complex involving three major blazes. The Old Trails Fire, burning northwest of Spokane, has been among the most destructive. By Monday, officials said more than 700 structures had been destroyed, although the full extent of the damage was still being assessed because some areas remained inaccessible.
Evacuation orders expanded rapidly as the flames approached populated areas. About 65,000 residents have been forced to evacuate, making the disaster one of the most serious wildfire emergencies in the region in recent years. Officials have urged residents in threatened areas to follow evacuation orders and avoid returning until authorities declare it safe.
More than 1,100 firefighters have been deployed to battle the fires, supported by emergency crews and aircraft. However, the major fires remained at zero percent containment in the latest reports, highlighting the difficulty crews are facing on the ground.
Authorities are also investigating possible human involvement in at least one of the fires. Police have arrested a man on suspicion of arson in Spokane County, although investigators have not indicated that he was responsible for all of the fires in the complex.
The fires have also created dangerous air-quality conditions across the region, with thick smoke affecting communities in eastern Washington and neighbouring areas. Emergency officials have warned residents, particularly those with breathing problems, to limit exposure to smoke.
The wildfire crisis comes after a prolonged period of drought and unusually hot, dry weather across the Pacific Northwest. Experts say the combination of dry vegetation, high temperatures and strong winds has created conditions in which fires can spread extremely quickly. Washington is among several western US states facing an intense wildfire season this year.
While cooler weather has provided firefighters with some temporary relief, authorities are preparing for another period of dangerous conditions later this week. The immediate priority remains protecting lives, containing the fires and assessing the enormous damage already caused.
With hundreds of homes and other buildings destroyed and tens of thousands displaced, Spokane now faces a major recovery effort even as firefighters continue battling the flames.
