Wind-driven wildfire prompts evacuations in eastern Washington

Wind-driven wildfire prompts evacuations in eastern Washington 1 of 5 | People watch Old Trails Fire from W. Northwest Blvd., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) 2 of 5 | Andrew Rowley watches Old Trails Fire from Dwight Merkel Sports Complex after evacuating, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) 3 of 5 | Old Trails Fire is seen from W. Northwest Blvd., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) 4 of 5 | Old Trails Fire is seen from Dwight Merkel Sports Complex, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) 5 of 5 | Old Trails Fire is seen from W. Northwest Blvd., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) 1 of 5 | People watch Old Trails Fire from W. Northwest Blvd., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) 1 of 5 People watch Old Trails Fire from W. Northwest Blvd., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 5 | Andrew Rowley watches Old Trails Fire from Dwight Merkel Sports Complex after evacuating, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) 2 of 5 Andrew Rowley watches Old Trails Fire from Dwight Merkel Sports Complex after evacuating, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 5 | Old Trails Fire is seen from W. Northwest Blvd., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) 3 of 5 Old Trails Fire is seen from W. Northwest Blvd., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 4 of 5 | Old Trails Fire is seen from Dwight Merkel Sports Complex, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) 4 of 5 Old Trails Fire is seen from Dwight Merkel Sports Complex, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 5 of 5 | Old Trails Fire is seen from W. Northwest Blvd., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) 5 of 5 Old Trails Fire is seen from W. Northwest Blvd., Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Spokane, Wash. (AP) — A fast-moving wildfire driven by strong winds and high temperatures swept across northwest Spokane on Saturday before jumping the Spokane River and prompting the evacuation of thousands of people. The Old Trails Fire started around noon, burning brush and grass in an open area, but quickly spread north and east toward residential areas. Cars lined the roads as people fled their homes, and orange and red flames were visible from the highway.The blaze sent a plume of smoke billowing over the region, and as of the evening almost 4 square miles (10 square kilometers) of terrain had been burned, said Courtney James, spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. The cause was under investigation.“We urge residents of Spokane to heed evacuation orders and to stay alert to changing conditions and evacuations as they are rapidly changing,” James said. Some structures were lost but officials did not yet have a solid count, said Jessica Watson, a DNR spokesperson for the fire. Firefighters had zero containment as of the evening and the wind continued to blow, she said. Power company Avista said it implemented public safety shutoffs in the area due to elevated fire risk. 4 MIN READ 3 MIN READ 1 MIN READ Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency Saturday after unusually high temperatures and high winds exacerbated record wildfires across the state. The National Weather Service issued a “particularly dangerous situation” red flag alert for eastern Washington.