- Residents have been forced to flee the Old Trails wildfire in Spokane County, Washington, as fire crews continue to battle the blaze.
- The Old Trails Fire has grown to more than 3,000 acres and is threatening up to 5,000 structures as of early Sunday morning.
- Officials have issued a Level 3 evacuation order for several areas in Spokane due to the Old Trails Fire, urging residents to leave now due to life-threatening conditions.
- The Fairview Fire has expanded to 979 acres and remains a fast-moving threat, prompting further evacuations.
- Evacuations for the Fairview Fire have expanded southward down to Lincoln/Pleasant Prairie.
- The Washington National Guard is assisting with evacuations and traffic control in Spokane County, deploying 30 members to help local authorities.
- A statewide state of emergency and burn ban was implemented by Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson due to severe fire weather conditions.
- As of Saturday night, state firefighting resources have been mobilized to assist local crews battling the Fairview Fire.
Residents in Spokane County, Washington, are facing dire circumstances as the Old Trails wildfire has surged to over 3,000 acres, prompting Level 3 evacuation orders.123
The fire, which started around noon Saturday, is threatening up to 5,000 structures and has already forced evacuations in multiple areas.
According to local emergency management officials, residents are urged to “leave now due to the life-threatening conditions.” An evacuation shelter has been established at a community college, while another center at Northwood Middle School faced issues with locked doors, leaving evacuees stranded.
The Fairview Fire, estimated at 979 acres, is also a significant concern, with its forward progress not yet halted. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide state of emergency and burn ban, as the National Weather Service issued a Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning across Central and Eastern Washington.47
The Washington National Guard is assisting local authorities with evacuation and traffic control, deploying 30 members to the area. As of 11 p.m. local time, nearly 13,400 customers were affected by power outages due to the fires, with emergency power shutdowns reported.6
“This is a difficult moment for our state,” said Dave Upthegrove, Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands, highlighting the severity of the situation as over 1,000 fires have burned approximately 425,000 acres this year, the most since 2021.
“By early Sunday, the Old Trails Fire had burned over 3,000 acres and threatened up to 5,000 structures, according to Washington Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Jessica Walston. Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson implemented a statewide state of emergency and burn ban as a Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning covered Central and Eastern Washington.”
CNN
