Washington State Wildfire Burns 250,000 Acres, Governor Declares Emergency | WPN World People News

Washington State is experiencing its fourth consecutive year of statewide drought. Fueled by strong winds and extremely dry conditions, the Old Trails Fire has been raging near Spokane in eastern Washington. The wildfire has crossed the Spokane River, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate, prompting the evacuation of several critical facilities, and leaving approximately 60,000 customers without power.

According to reports, the fire initially broke out in open brush and grassland before rapidly spreading north and east toward residential neighborhoods. Local emergency officials issued a Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation order, urging residents to leave immediately to protect their lives. Long lines of vehicles formed as people fled their homes, while towering flames were visible from nearby highways.

Spokane, the largest city in eastern Washington, has a population of about 230,000. Washington State Forester George Geissler said the Old Trails Fire has burned more than 3,000 acres (about 1,215 hectares) and is directly threatening around 4,000 structures in the city. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said several key facilities—including a water reclamation plant, a waste-to-energy incineration facility, and a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital—have been evacuated as a precaution. As of 3:30 p.m., about 200 households had officially registered for evacuation assistance, though Brown said the number is expected to rise significantly as evacuation efforts continue across the affected areas.

Several major wildfires remain active across Washington. The Model T Fire has scorched 40,625 acres and is 22% contained, while the Little Giant Fire has burned 28,393 acres. Earlier, the U.S. National Weather Service issued an unprecedented "Particularly Dangerous Situation" (PDS) Red Flag Warning for eastern Washington, forecasting extreme wildfire weather conditions due to powerful winds, low humidity, and exceptionally dry vegetation.

On Saturday morning, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and imposed a burn ban. The order prohibits most outdoor and agricultural burning through September 30 in an effort to reduce the risk of additional human-caused wildfires.

Approximately 4,000 firefighters are currently battling more than a dozen wildfires across the state. In addition to the Washington National Guard, firefighting crews from more than a dozen other states have been deployed to assist. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities have been reported so far.