TL;DR: Washington's fires over 250,000 acres forced Spokane-area evacuations, shut power to 60,000, and triggered a statewide emergency and burn ban through Sept. 30.

SPOKANE, Wash. — Aug. 1, 2026 — Wildfires across more than 250,000 acres in Washington prompted widespread evacuations and power outages around Spokane on Saturday, while Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and a burn ban through Sept. 30, according to Reuters.

About 4,000 personnel were fighting more than a dozen fires statewide, Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove said during a virtual press conference Saturday evening, according to Reuters. No injuries or fatalities were known at that point, officials said.

Spokane, home to about 230,000 residents in eastern Washington, faced the fast-moving Old Trails Fire on the city's edge, according to Reuters. Washington State Forester George Geissler said that fire was active on 3,000 acres and threatened 4,000 structures.

As of 3:30 p.m. local time Saturday, about 200 homes in Spokane had been evacuated, with officials expecting the number to rise, according to Reuters. Mayor Lisa Brown said large areas of the city were affected.

"These are large areas of the city, so I assume it's going to be more than that," Brown said.

Utility Avista, which serves eastern Washington, reported 60,000 people without power, according to Stacey McClain of the Washington State Emergency Management Division, as reported by Reuters.

Statewide emergency and Sept. 30 burn ban

Gov. Ferguson issued the emergency proclamation Saturday morning in response to drought conditions, unusually high temperatures, high winds and record-setting wildfires, according to KOMO News.

The order included a statewide prohibition on most outdoor and agricultural burning through Sept. 30, according to KOMO News. Washington was in a fourth consecutive statewide drought described by officials as record-setting.

"Our record-setting drought and high winds are creating dangerous conditions across the state," Ferguson said in a statement. "I am declaring an emergency to help prevent loss of life and property damage."

The National Weather Service described an unprecedented "particularly dangerous situation" Red Flag Alert with an "extreme" wildfire weather risk forecast across Eastern Washington, according to KOMO News.

Officials said elevated winds were expected to persist into Saturday evening, creating volatile conditions and potential for additional growth, according to KOMO News. Ferguson noted high winds and high temperatures through the weekend would make suppression more challenging, according to Reuters.

"Our state is facing a very serious situation with multiple fires," Ferguson said.

Old Trails Fire drives Spokane evacuations

Driven by high winds and dry landscapes, several fires broke out on the outskirts of Spokane and threatened neighborhoods inside the city, state officials said, according to KOMO News.

The Old Trails Fire spread rapidly Saturday afternoon, prompting multiple Level 3 "Go Now" warnings for neighborhoods in western Spokane, according to the Spokane County Evacuation Map as reported by the Washington Examiner.

Evacuations for the Old Trails Fire expanded to include residents between Rutter Parkway and Francis Avenue, and the Spokane River to Division, according to KHQ reporting on Aug. 1. Spokane County Emergency Management told evacuees to move eastbound and use side streets.

Spokane police told residents who were not evacuating to avoid Francis Avenue, which served as the evacuation route for the Old Trails Fire, according to KHQ. Maple Street and Cedar Street closures were also reported in later local updates, but the Aug. 1 guidance centered on keeping Francis Avenue clear.

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources system WildCAD listed the fire at 2,500 acres during Aug. 1 updates, according to KHQ, while state forestry officials cited a 3,000-acre active figure Saturday evening, according to Reuters. The difference reflected rapidly changing afternoon mapping, not a separate fire.

Hospitals, public facilities and shelters

Some major facilities in Spokane were evacuated, including water reclamation facilities, a waste-energy plant and the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital, Mayor Brown said, according to Reuters.

A spokesperson for the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center said the center had been fully evacuated, with all 27 patients under the care of VA staff at area shelters, according to KHQ on Aug. 1.

The American Red Cross opened a second shelter at the Spokane Convention Center for people evacuating from wildfires affecting Spokane, according to KHQ. An evacuation center also opened at Spokane Falls Community College in the small gym at 3410 W Whistalks Way.

Red Cross staff said shelters had food, cots and other urgent needs, according to KHQ. Evacuees with time to do so safely were encouraged to bring prescription and emergency medication, extra clothes, blankets, hygiene supplies, important documents and comfort items.

Ferguson said he organized an emergency briefing to discuss the Spokane fires, according to KHQ.

"We're monitoring the situation closely, more to come. If you are in the area, please follow instructions from emergency personnel and obey any evacuation orders," he said.

How big the season has become

For the summer so far, about 450,000 acres had burned in Washington, Upthegrove said, according to Reuters.

"This is not normal. ... Throughout the state of Washington we're seeing fires raging," Upthegrove said.

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources said July 31 that 10 large fires totaled more than 200,000 acres, while more than 1,000 fires had burned approximately 425,000 acres already this year — the most acres burned since 2021, according to the Department.

KOMO News, citing Department figures shared at the Aug. 1 briefing, reported more than 200,000 acres burning in 12 large fires and about 425,000 acres burned in more than 1,000 fires this year, the highest acreage since 2021.

The Spokane fire was one of five "major complex fires" in the state, Geissler said, according to Reuters. The largest, the Kaiser Canyon Fire in the northeastern part of the state, was approximately 134,000 acres.

Other large fires cited by officials included the Modrite Fire at 40,625 acres and 22% containment, with three helicopters assigned for the past three weeks, and the Little Giant Fire at 28,393 acres in an update issued about four hours before the briefing, according to KOMO News. A photo caption for the Little Giant Fire described it as started by lightning in mid-July.

Large fires were also burning across Oregon and Canada, as well as many other western and Great Lakes states, stretching crews and incident management teams nationally, according to the Department of Natural Resources. Nearly 34,000 lightning strikes last month led to fires and evacuation orders in southern British Columbia, according to Reuters.

Guard, interstate crews and task forces

Upthegrove requested support from the Washington State National Guard, and Ferguson approved deployment of 110 members to work as hand crews, in addition to 27 helicopter crew members activated earlier in July, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

"The Washington National Guard are great partners — I appreciate the governor's approval and the quick deployment," Upthegrove said.

Firefighters from more than a dozen states were helping in Washington, officials said during the news conference, according to Reuters. The proclamation also allowed Washington to seek additional resources through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a nationwide mutual aid system, and authorized additional National Guard activations as needed, according to KOMO News.

The Washington State Fire Marshal's Office mobilized 13 task forces, including eight assigned to the Sinlahekin Fire in Okanogan County and five to the Bradeen Hill Fire in Stevens County, according to KOMO News. Three strike teams deployed to the Kaiser Canyon Fire in Okanogan County and the Little Giant Fire in Chelan County, while another task force staged in Kittitas County.

Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, commander of the Washington National Guard, said Guard members train for the mission before fire season, according to the Department of Natural Resources. He also described the Spokane scene as tragic during the Saturday briefing, according to Reuters.

"It's a tragedy what we're seeing over there," Welsh said. "When the sun sets and the sun rises in the morning, I think we're going to be in shock to see some of the scenes that emerged out there."

The Department also activated its Ready Reserve program, through which non-wildland fire staff with certain qualifications deploy to fires, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

What households should do now

Officials directed residents to rely on official sources for evacuation orders and changing conditions as fires continued to grow, according to KOMO News. That meant checking the Spokane County Evacuation Map, local sheriff and emergency-management channels, and the Department's Wildfire Portal.

Upthegrove urged prevention in blunt terms, according to KOMO News.

"Don't start the next fire."

The statewide ban prohibited yard debris burning, trash disposal, land clearing, weed abatement, bonfires and campfires not contained in fire rings or fire pits, according to KOMO News. It did not apply to liquid- or gas-fueled stoves or grills used on nonflammable surfaces at least five feet from vegetation, permitted agricultural or silvicultural burns, or campfires in approved rings or pits on private property and at state, county and municipal parks and campgrounds.

The statewide ban did not override stricter local or Department restrictions, and consumer fireworks remained unlawful to sell or discharge outside licensed displays, according to KOMO News.

State fire marshal officials urged residents to avoid activities that could ignite dry vegetation, inspect vehicles for hazards such as dragging trailer chains, and properly extinguish and dispose of smoking materials, according to KOMO News. The Department asked residents to follow burn bans and heed requests from emergency responders, adding "be one less spark."

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