{"id":7819,"date":"2026-08-02T08:26:33","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T08:26:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=7819"},"modified":"2026-08-02T08:26:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T08:26:33","slug":"washington-wildfires-scorch-over-250000-acres-of-land-trigger-mass-evacuations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=7819","title":{"rendered":"Washington wildfires scorch over 2,50,000 acres of land; trigger mass evacuations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132800248,imgsize-730174,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg\" alt=\"Washington wildfires scorch over 2,50,000 acres of land; trigger mass evacuations\" title=\"Old Trails Fire burns near Dwight Merkel Sports Complex (AP photo)\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Old Trails Fire burns near Dwight Merkel Sports Complex (AP photo)\">Old Trails Fire burns near Dwight Merkel Sports Complex (AP photo)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>More than 4,000 firefighters, backed by the National Guard and crews from over a dozen states, battled multiple wildfires across Washington state, US on Saturday as strong winds and extreme heat fuelled blazes that forced widespread evacuations and power outages.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"2\"\/>Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and imposed a burn ban, warning that Washington was facing a &#8220;very serious situation&#8221; with more than a dozen active fires burning across over 250,000 acres. Nearly 450,000 acres have burned across the state so far this summer.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/>&#8220;Our state is facing a very serious situation with multiple fires,&#8221; Ferguson said, adding that high temperatures and strong winds are expected to hamper firefighting efforts through the weekend.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"8\"\/>The biggest concern remained the fast-moving Old Trails Fire in Spokane, which erupted around noon, raced through dry brush and grass, jumped the Spokane River and spread into residential neighbourhoods.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"10\"\/>The blaze had burned about 3,000 acres by Saturday evening, threatened nearly 4,000 structures and forced evacuations across parts of the city. Cars lined roads as residents fled while thick smoke and towering flames engulfed the area.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"13\"\/>&#8220;We urge residents of Spokane to heed evacuation orders and to stay alert to changing conditions and evacuations as they are rapidly changing,&#8221; Courtney James, spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"15\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"17\"\/>Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said around 200 homes had been evacuated by late afternoon, but warned the figure was likely to rise as evacuation zones expanded. Several major facilities, including water reclamation plants, a waste-to-energy facility and a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital, were also evacuated.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"20\"\/>Firefighters had achieved zero containment of the Old Trails Fire by Saturday evening, and officials said the cause remained under investigation. Authorities confirmed that some structures had been destroyed, though the full extent of the damage was still being assessed.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"23\"\/>Power utility Avista implemented public safety shutoffs amid the fire threat, leaving about 60,000 customers without electricity.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>State Forester George Geissler said the Spokane blaze was one of five major fire complexes burning across Washington. <!-- -->The largest, the Kaiser Canyon Fire in the state&#8217;s northeast, had grown to about 134,000 acres.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"29\"\/>&#8220;This is not normal&#8230; Throughout the state of Washington we&#8217;re seeing fires raging,&#8221; Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/>No fire-related deaths or injuries had been reported as of Saturday evening.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"33\"\/>&#8220;It&#8217;s a tragedy what we&#8217;re seeing over there,&#8221; Major General Gent Welsh of the Washington National Guard said. &#8220;When the sun sets and the sun rises in the morning, I think we&#8217;re going to be in shock to see some of the scenes that emerged out there.&#8221;<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"35\"\/><\/p>\n<div data-type=\"in_view\" class=\"  \">\n<div class=\"sQLTU timeline_pollWrapper_as  \" data-scrollga=\"scroll#poll_view\">\n<div>\n<p>Do you think volunteer firefighter programs should be expanded in Washington state?<\/p>\n<div class=\"iN00Z\">\n<div class=\"eG6Oq\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<div class=\"W30C0\">\n<p>3k+ users shared opinion today<!-- --> <span class=\"vIYbn\"\/><\/p>\n<p>5k+ users already voted today<!-- --> <span class=\"vIYbn\"\/><\/p>\n<p>3k+ users shared opinion today<!-- --> <span class=\"vIYbn\"\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/polls\/do-you-think-volunteer-firefighter-programs-should-be-expanded-in-washington-state\/pollopinions\/132803551.cms?src=articleshow\" class=\"pd_MH\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Share Opinion<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/world\/us\/washington-wildfires-scorch-over-250000-trigger-mass-evacuations\/articleshow\/132800136.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Old Trails Fire burns near Dwight Merkel Sports Complex (AP photo) More than 4,000 firefighters, backed by the National Guard and crews from over a dozen states, battled multiple wildfires across Washington state, US on Saturday as strong winds and extreme heat fuelled blazes that forced widespread evacuations and power outages.Governor Bob Ferguson declared a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7820,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/wildfire-in-spokane-washington.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Old Trails Fire burns near Dwight Merkel Sports Complex (AP photo) More than 4,000 firefighters, backed by the National Guard and crews from over a dozen states, battled multiple wildfires across Washington state, US on Saturday as strong winds and extreme heat fuelled blazes that forced widespread evacuations and power outages.Governor Bob Ferguson declared a [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 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