Spokane wildfire destroys 15 homes, forces 1,500 residents to evacuate in Eastern Washington

Strong winds fueled a wildfire that spread into a residential area in eastern Washington, prompting the evacuation of approximately 1,500 residents and destroying at least 15 homes, authorities said on Wednesday.

During a press conference, Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels stated that a family member had reported one person missing. However, emergency crews were unable to enter the affected area to search for them because the fire conditions remained too hazardous on Wednesday afternoon, reported AP.

“They have a location to look but it’s not safe to look there at the moment,” Nowels stated.

According to Sheriff John Nowels, many residents of the densely populated neighbourhoods were forced to evacuate with little warning, often after being alerted by officers going door-to-door. As a result, some people had to leave behind personal belongings and even essential medications.

To help residents retrieve critical items, law enforcement officers were escorting individuals back to their homes one at a time on Wednesday. After collecting necessary belongings, residents were then escorted out of the evacuation zone again.

Nowels mentioned that 15 homes had been destroyed by the wildfire, though no injuries or fatalities had been recorded.

Chandra Fox, deputy director of Spokane County Emergency Management, said the evacuation order affecting approximately 1,500 residents remained in place on Wednesday.

“Our concern is for increased winds Wednesday afternoon,” Fox stated.

The fire began shortly after noon on Tuesday and rapidly spread uphill, according to Robert Gray, a spokesperson for the local fire district. As wind conditions changed, the flames were pushed toward a nearby residential area, intensifying the threat to homes.

The city of Spokane is located about 280 miles (450 kilometers) east of Seattle, close to the Idaho border.

Spokane Valley Fire Department reacts

John Leavell, a battalion chief with the Spokane Valley Fire Department, said he was among the first to notice the fire. While driving near Interstate 90, he spotted a large plume of smoke rising in the distance.

“As I approached it, I thought this is going to be a big event — this is going fast. It looked like waves of fire going up the hill,” he said.

John Leavell discovered a home completely consumed by flames after pulling into a driveway. He immediately alerted nearby emergency agencies, and while the local fire district assumed command of the response, his crew began establishing fire lines to slow the spread of the blaze.

Leavell said it was unclear whether the fire originated at the house or if the structure was quickly overtaken by flames. Investigators are still determining the cause.

Firefighters from both Washington and Idaho responded to the wildfire using ground crews and aircraft. Despite their efforts, the fire rapidly expanded to about 225 acres (0.35 square miles). According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the blaze was 10% contained by Wednesday morning.

As the fire advanced, utility company Avista shut off electricity in the affected area to protect firefighting personnel. Power remained unavailable in some locations on Wednesday.

Officials noted that weather conditions had begun to improve, providing a more favorable environment for firefighters battling the blaze.

Weather conditions became more favorable for firefighting efforts on Wednesday. According to Rachael Fewkes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Spokane, winds had weakened and were expected to continue decreasing after sunset. Temperatures also cooled slightly, dropping from the mid-80s on Tuesday to around 80 degrees on Wednesday.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced Wednesday that it had approved Fire Management Assistance Grant funding to help cover the costs of battling the Spokane-area wildfire. A regional FEMA official noted that the blaze had the potential to become a major disaster due to the threats it posed to homes, a school, power infrastructure, parks, businesses, and wildlife habitats.

FEMA also stated that this was the first fire management grant issued in Washington state during the current wildfire season.

The National Interagency Fire Center said more than 32,000 wildfires have burned over 3,900 square miles (10,100 square kilometers) across the United States so far this year. This is reportedly well above the 10-year average, which is just under 24,000 fires and approximately 2,200 square miles (5,700 square kilometers) burned by the same point in the year. Despite the higher overall numbers, wildfire activity has remained relatively moderate in recent week.