Destructive wildfires in Spokane, Washington, leave hundreds of buildings in ashes

Uncontrolled wildfires that began on August 1, 2026, have caused extensive destruction in Spokane, Washington. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency across the state, banning all fire-related activities as emergency crews work to contain multiple blazes, including the primary fire known as the Old Trails Fire. At least 700 buildings have been confirmed destroyed, and residents in many neighborhoods have described the areas as looking like a war zone.

More than 65,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate their homes, and thousands of power customers in the region experienced outages as the flames spread across roughly 32,000 acres. While officials, including Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown and Sheriff John Nowels, have reported no confirmed fatalities to date, they have warned that assessments are ongoing and the casualty status may change given the scale of the damage. Firefighting efforts remain the top priority in the region, which has been grappling with numerous active blazes for weeks. Residents who have attempted to return to their neighborhoods report that many homes have been completely leveled.