Spokane Fires Grow Overnight as Officials Estimate Up to 1,100 Structures Lost

The Autumn Lane fire north of Spokane, Washington, grew by about 1,000 acres Sunday night and is now the largest of the three Spokane Complex fires, reaching 5,602 acres by Monday, The Spokesman-Review reported. Officials estimated that 700 to 1,100 structures have been lost across the three fires as of Monday morning, a range that is wider and higher than the roughly 640 reported a day earlier. No separate estimate was available for the Autumn Lane fire.

The fire started in the Nine Mile Falls area, jumped the Spokane River and moved through homes and property. It tore through the northern Little Spokane River Natural Area, where trails were still burning Monday morning. As of 7 a.m. the fire had not crossed West Rutter Parkway. Ben Cossel, a public information officer with California Complex Incident Management Team 7, said wind was the main driver of overnight growth and that it was not fully predicted. New evacuations were issued overnight for the Autumn Lane fire’s southern flank, with crews going door to door.

Most firefighting resources in the Spokane area were focused on that southern flank on Monday, with aircraft dropping water and fire retardant, the newspaper reported. The Old Trails and Fairview fires saw little growth in the prior 24 hours, and crews continued protecting structures in hot spots.

Cossel said officials were wary of letting residents back too soon. “Arguably one of the worst things in the world would be letting people into their homes just to evacuate them again,” he said. National Weather Service meteorologist Ken Daniels forecast light winds through Wednesday, with hot, dry weather continuing. Smoke registered a hazardous air quality reading of 465, the Spokesman-Review said.

The military has been drawn in. Fairchild Air Force Base, about 15 miles west of Spokane, issued a limited evacuation order for military members, Air Force civilians and their families in Level 3 “go now” areas, covering anyone who evacuated on or after Aug. 1. The order provides government-funded travel and lodging reimbursement, and an Emergency Family Assistance Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Stars and Stripes reported. The base hosts the Air Force’s largest concentration of KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft. Authorities cited by Stars and Stripes said the wildfires forced about 60,000 people out of the Spokane area and destroyed at least 600 homes, businesses and other structures.

Col. Brian Epperson, commander of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, called the safety of airmen, civilians and families “our absolute highest priority during this crisis.” Washington National Guard Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, the state’s adjutant general, said conditions were the worst he has seen in a 38-year career: “When the sun sets and the sun rises, we are going to be in shock.”

The Spokane Convention Center was the main overnight shelter on Sunday, housing 409 families, the Spokesman-Review reported. The cause of the fires remains under investigation.