Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and burn ban on Saturday morning as wildfires broke out across Washington state. Approximately 4,000 people are currently fighting more than a dozen fires throughout the state.
Wildfires have burned across more than a quarter of a million acres, prompting widespread power outages and evacuations in the Spokane area. Hundreds of residents north and west of Spokane have been told to flee their homes after stiff, dry winds fanned flames throughout eastern Washington.
The Old Trails Fire started around noon on Saturday, burning through brush and grass before quickly spreading toward residential areas.