Evacuees begin returning home as Spokane wildfires ease

Evacuees near Spokane began returning home as the Old Trails, Fairview and Autumn Lane fires eased, and by early evening all evacuees were allowed back into their homes. The evacuation had emptied neighborhoods across Spokane County and left residents facing smoke, damaged utilities and burned property.

The scale of the evacuation had grown fast. Fires across Washington state had burned more than 250,000 acres by Aug. 2, and about 60,000 people were ordered to leave Spokane-area neighborhoods the next day. By Aug. 4, the evacuation total had climbed to about 64,000 people, and more than 700 buildings had been destroyed. Firefighters had reached primary containment around the Spokane-area fires by Aug. 5, even as crews braced for hot, dry weather that could have pushed conditions back toward danger.

The Fairview Fire was 992 acres and 43% contained, while the Autumn Lane Fire had burned 5,810 acres and was 61% contained. Spokane County Fire District #4 posted an update on Aug. 8, and the Spokane County Spokane Complex Fire Incident Management Team issued August updates, including a Quick Facts page, as crews watched for hot spots and checked the three-fire complex.

Smoldering debris, falling trees, damaged power lines and poor air quality can still make fire zones dangerous, and residents returning to burned areas often find ash-covered property and disrupted power or transportation. The fires also led to a criminal case after authorities arrested a man on Aug. 3 in connection with one of the blazes. During the emergency, Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said, "We are still assessing the potential for lives to be lost.