Wind-Driven Fire Forces Mass Evacuations in Spokane, Washington

A fast-moving wildfire swept across the West Plains west of Spokane, Washington, on Saturday and into the city’s northern neighborhoods, forcing thousands of people within city limits to evacuate, according to The Spokesman-Review. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown declared a state of emergency, Gov. Bob Ferguson, who also declared a statewide emergency over the wildfire season, activated the National Guard and the Spokane County Commission declared a county emergency Saturday night.

The Old Trails fire started around noon Saturday in brush and grass near Old Trails and Euclid roads, and had grown to 3,509 acres by 8:20 p.m. Level 3 “go now” evacuation orders were issued in the city just before 3:30 p.m. and expanded through the afternoon and evening, the Spokesman-Review reported, covering much of the city north of Francis Avenue and west of Division Street. At about 4:30 p.m. flames and smoke were cascading over trees next to Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, and homes near Indian Trail Elementary School burned. Winds gusting 35 to 45 mph drove the fire into Riverside State Park and across the Spokane River into the city, and residents of Five Mile Prairie fled along Strong Road, which became gridlocked. A second blaze, the Fairview fire, started in the Peone Prairie area north of the city that afternoon and had reached about 981 acres.

The setup was unusually dangerous. The National Weather Service on Friday issued its first-ever “particularly dangerous situation” warning for eastern Washington, the newspaper reported. Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, the state’s adjutant general, said conditions were the worst he had seen in his 38-year career. “When the sun sets and the sun rises, we are going to be in shock,” he said. Dave Upthegrove, the state’s public lands commissioner, called it “an extraordinary fire season. This is not normal; this is unusual.”

Officials had not yet counted the losses. Sheriff John Nowels cited fire chiefs’ estimates of roughly 50 to 100 structures burned, and Mayor Brown said it was too early to give loss figures. “We’re still having way too many people refusing to evacuate,” Nowels said. Assistant Fire Chief Lance Dahl said about 100 firefighters were on duty Saturday, compared with the usual 69, and that “there is not a fire department in the U.S. that can handle a wind-driven event this size.” The newspaper quoted an official saying that for about the next 24 hours conditions would remain dangerous for these fires.

Evacuations reached public facilities. Whitworth University, the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center and the Spokane Health and Rehabilitation Home were cleared; Spokane Transit Authority buses assisted at the VA, and some patients were moved to regional hospitals. About 40,000 Avista customers lost power, many as a precaution, and water pressure fell; Dahl asked residents not to run sprinklers. Nowels said evacuees should expect to be away from their homes for at least 24 to 36 hours. The Spokane Convention Center became an evacuation center after power failed at Spokane Falls Community College, with American Red Cross volunteers setting up medical relief, and the county Fair and Expo Center offered spaces for recreational vehicles and evacuated animals.

The cause had not been determined. Avista said the Old Trails fire did not start from its infrastructure, though some of its equipment was damaged, according to the Spokesman-Review.