Large numbers of residents in Spokane, Washington, were ordered to evacuate their homes as three fast-moving wildfires burned through the region. The most significant threat, the Old Trails Fire, started Saturday afternoon and grew to more than 3,500 acres by Sunday morning. Officials issued Level 3 evacuation orders—the highest alert level—instructing residents to leave immediately, warning that it might be their only notice.
The wildfires are burning during a record-setting statewide drought characterized by high winds and low humidity. On Saturday, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide wildfire emergency and issued a burn ban to prevent new ignitions. The Washington National Guard was mobilized late Saturday night, providing 30 members to assist local first responders with emerging needs in the Spokane area.
The Old Trails Fire has burned in Riverside State Park northwest of Spokane, where officials estimated it threatened up to 5,000 structures. Two other fires, named Fairview and Autumn Lane, are also active in the vicinity. To accommodate those displaced by the fires, the city opened the Spokane Convention Center as an emergency shelter. As of Sunday morning, firefighters were managing 10 large fires across the state, part of a season that has seen over 1,000 fires burn approximately 425,000 acres.
The scale of the 2026 fire season has already reached 425,000 acres, which Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove noted is the highest total since 2021. This surge in activity puts a concrete strain on state resources, as Upthegrove reported that firefighters are already "stretched thin" with several weeks of summer remaining. The statewide burn ban also changes daily life for residents across Washington by prohibiting common activities such as campfires, yard debris burning, and trash disposal fires until the emergency order is lifted.
The knock-on effects include a high risk of new fires due to what officials described as "tinder dry" landscapes and expected continued heat. The mobilization of the National Guard sets a precedent for military involvement in local fire suppression for the current season. While the governor was scheduled to visit Spokane on Sunday morning to assess the situation, there is no currently reported date for when evacuation orders will be lifted or when power will be fully restored to the thousands of affected utility customers.
What happens next: Governor Ferguson was scheduled to arrive in Spokane on Sunday morning, August 2, to coordinate with emergency personnel. Firefighters continue to face challenging conditions with more heat and wind forecasted for the remainder of the weekend. Residents are advised to monitor official channels for updates to evacuation maps and the status of the statewide burn ban. No specific court dates or legislative votes are currently tied to this emergency response.