Overview
- The Old Trails Fire, which ignited Saturday, grew within hours to roughly 2,300–3,000 acres and jumped the Spokane River, prompting multiple Level 3 “leave now” evacuation orders for neighborhoods and Riverside State Park.
- Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and issued a burn ban through Sept. 30, and the proclamation activated the Washington National Guard and opened access to interstate mutual aid through EMAC.
- The National Weather Service’s PDS Red Flag Warning warned of historically strong winds and low humidity that increase fire spread and can constrain aerial firefighting operations.
- Utilities carried out public safety power shutoffs that left tens of thousands without electricity, evacuation shelters and an animal shelter opened, some structures were reported threatened or lost, and officials said there were no confirmed fatalities or firefighter injuries in initial reports.
- Fire managers said containment was limited as crews were stretched by more than a dozen large fires across eastern Washington burning hundreds of thousands of acres, and investigators are still working to determine the Old Trails Fire’s cause so residents must follow evacuation orders and local updates.