Spokane wildfires force 60,000 evacuations as blazes remain uncontained

Around 60,000 people were ordered out of homes as three wildfires around Spokane kept burning without containment lines, cutting power to thousands and sending smoke across eastern Washington. Officials said the fires had damaged or destroyed hundreds of structures, turning the emergency into a major test for evacuation routes and utility service across Spokane County.

The Old Trails Fire started around noon Saturday in brush and grass in an open area, then moved quickly north and east toward residential neighborhoods as strong winds and soaring temperatures pushed the flames outward. By Monday, three major blazes were still burning around Spokane, and officials said none had been contained.

Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown called the situation "the worst natural disaster our region has faced" and said authorities were still assessing the damage and weighing the possibility of lives being lost. Officials said Sunday they had no reports of fatalities or serious injuries at that time, even as the scale of the evacuation kept growing.

The fires also left thousands without power and triggered unhealthy air-quality conditions across Spokane as smoke spread through the city and surrounding communities. With the evacuation orders still in place and damage assessments incomplete, the wildfire complex had already become one of the most severe public-safety and infrastructure strains eastern Washington has faced in recent years.