Firefighters in Washington state are battling 15 major wildfires fueled by extreme heat, drought, and strong winds. These blazes are part of a larger series of dozens of wildfires across the U.S. Pacific Northwest that have stretched the resources of federal, state, and local agencies and degraded air quality across a wide region.
In eastern Washington, three separate fires erupted in and around the city of Spokane, including the Old Trails fire, which jumped the Spokane River and entered the city proper. The resulting crisis has been described as the worst natural disaster in the city's history, forcing between 60,000 and 65,000 people to evacuate their homes.
The fires have caused extensive destruction, with reports indicating that between 600 and 1,100 structures, including homes and businesses, have been destroyed. Some residents returning to their neighborhoods found only chimneys standing amidst charred debris. Statewide, more than 1,000 square kilometers and over 250,000 acres have burned, with the Spokane-area fires alone scorching more than 8,000 acres.
Firefighters made progress against several blazes on Monday. While some fires remain uncontained, light winds and lower temperatures are in the forecast, which officials expect will assist containment efforts.