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Wildfire Threatens Homes in Spokane, Washington
Confirmed
In Short: Thousands of families in northwestern Spokane, Washington, have been ordered to flee as the Old Trails Fire burns over 3,000 acres, with extreme fire weather conditions worsening the situation.
Thousands of families have been ordered to flee their homes as the Old Trails Fire, fueled by extreme fire weather conditions, grows in Spokane County, Washington, burning over 3,000 acres and threatening about 4,000 buildings.
The fire, which started around noon on Saturday, has forced evacuations at Spokane’s veterans’ hospital, water reclamation facility, and waste energy plant, and is also threatening Riverside State Park.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson implemented a statewide state of emergency and burn ban, while the National Weather Service issued a Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning, a rare designation for the most severe fire weather conditions.
Spokane resident Brent Dallman described the situation as a 'nuclear bomb going off in our neighborhoods,' highlighting the urgency and danger faced by residents in the area.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Thousands of families have been ordered to flee their homes as a fast-moving wildfire grows in Spokane County, Washington, filling the skies with thick smoke and backing up traffic on some roads while state officials…
- The Old Trails Fire – fueled by extreme fire weather conditions – has burned nearly 3,000 acres, Washington State Forester George Geissler said at a news conference Saturday, adding about 4,000 buildings are…
- The full extent of the damage is not yet clear, but officials said the fire is impacting structures.
- Across the state, more than 200,000 acres are burning from 12 large fires, the governor’s office said.
- The Old Trails Fire is one of multiple blazes burning in Spokane County, where several thousand homes were under evacuation orders, emergency management officials told CNN.
- Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson implemented a statewide state of emergency and burn ban Saturday morning as the National Weather Service issued a Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning across Central and…
- This marks the first time the weather service has issued such a warning in Washington, meaning “new fires can grow out of control rapidly, our aircraft response may be limited by wind and smoke, and our already taxed…
- The Old Trails Fire started around noon Saturday and state firefighters were mobilized around 1:30 p.m., according to a news release from the Washington State Fire Marshal.