Washington State Wildfires Scorch Over 250,000 Acres, Triggering Mass Evacuations and Power Outages in Spokane
Wildfires that have scorched over a quarter of a million acres across Washington state have prompted widespread evacuations and widespread power outages in the Spokane area, state officials announced late Saturday.
During an online press conference, Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove stated that approximately 4,000 personnel are actively battling more than a dozen fires statewide.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has declared a statewide state of emergency and issued a strict burn ban. However, he confirmed that the fires have not resulted in any injuries or fatalities thus far.
Fire Threatens Thousands of Structures in Spokane
The city of Spokane, home to roughly 230,000 residents in eastern Washington, is currently facing the "Old Trails" fire. State Forester George Geissler described the blaze as spanning 3,000 acres and threatening approximately 4,000 structures.
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown stated that several critical facilities have been evacuated, including water treatment plants, a waste-to-energy facility, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital.
She further added that as of 3:30 PM local time (22:30 GMT), roughly 200 homes had been evacuated. This number is expected to rise as the fires continue to expand rapidly.