Spokane Wildfires Ravage Eastern Washington in August 2026

In early August, three fast-moving fires—Old Trails, Fairview and Autumn Lane—engulfed the Spokane area. By the weekend the Old Trails Fire had expanded to over 3,500 acres, the Fairview Fire burned roughly 1,000 acres, and the Autumn Lane Fire covered more than 3,300 acres, leaving all three blazes at 0 % containment. The combined complex scorched at least 7,000 acres of residential and grassland terrain, destroyed hundreds of structures, and prompted Level 3 “Leave Now!” evacuation orders for tens of thousands of residents. Roughly 60,000 people were ordered to evacuate, with shelters opened at the Spokane Convention Center and Spokane Falls Community College. Power was shut off to over 11,000 customers in Spokane County.

Wildfires Drive Evacuation Orders for Washington State Residents

Washington’s 2026 fire season has been driven by a record-setting drought and persistent high-wind events.

Newsweek

• Acreage burned: about 7,000 acres for the Spokane complex.

Wildfires Drive Evacuation Orders for Washington State Residents

• Structures destroyed: estimates range from 600 to more than 700.

Newsweek

• Evacuations: roughly 60,000 residents ordered to leave; shelters housed about 5,000 families.

Newsweek

• Power outages: 11,000 customers without electricity.

NPR

• Firefighting resources: over 900 firefighters, National Guard personnel, and crews from 14 other states and Australia.

Forbes

Governor Ferguson emphasized that “our record-setting drought and high winds are creating dangerous conditions across the state,” urging residents to follow evacuation orders. Public lands commissioner Upthegrove warned that the fire season “is not normal” and projected continued high fire danger. Courtney James of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources urged residents to heed evacuation directives. The Washington National Guard made 30 members available to support local responders, and the state’s emergency operations center coordinated shelter and resource deployment.

Newsweek

Elderly residents Miriam and Daniel Sim described returning to a “war zone” where only chimneys remained, questioning whether rebuilding was feasible at their age. Angela and Wayde Deatherage recounted using a garden hose to protect a neighboring home, which survived while theirs was reduced to ash.

Associated Press

Sources differ on the exact number of structures lost and acreage estimates, reflecting the rapidly evolving nature of the blazes and differing measurement methods. The cause of the fires remains under investigation; some officials cite lightning, while others have not confirmed any specific ignition source.

Forbes

• “Our record-setting drought and high winds are creating dangerous conditions across the state,” — Gov. Bob Ferguson

NPR

• “I was sitting near an elementary school and saw a wall of flames east of the school and just a cascade of black smoke and a wall of flames coming toward me,” — Alexandra Duggan, The Spokesman-Review

NPR

• “This year has already been one of our busiest wildfire years on record, and we just started August,” — Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove

NPR

• “There are just so many Washingtonians who have literally lost everything in a very, very short period of time,” — Gov. Bob Ferguson

USA Today

• “We urge residents of Spokane to heed evacuation orders and to stay alert to changing conditions and evacuations as they are rapidly changing,” — Courtney James

Newsweek

Meteorologists forecast temperatures climbing back into the 90 °F range later this week, with humidity dropping to the low teens, conditions that could reignite or expand existing hotspots. The state’s burn ban remains in effect through September 30, and officials continue to monitor air-quality alerts that may keep PM2.5 levels in the “unhealthy” range.

Newsweek