Washington: Spokane wildfires have destroyed more than 700 buildings and forced 64,000 people to evacuate as flames continue to spread across the region.
The wildfires have burned for a third day on the outskirts of Spokane, Washington’s second-largest city. The cluster of three blazes ranks as the top firefighting priority across the United States. Fire activity remains intense across the drought-hit Pacific Northwest where multiple large wildfires continue to burn.
The Spokane-area fires scorched more than 8,000 acres since erupting on August 2 along the northern edge of the city. Spokane, with a population of about 230,000, lies west of the Rocky Mountain foothills near the Idaho border. The fires advanced rapidly through forest land and into residential zones.
Visuals from the fire zone show long columns of smoke drifting through treetops while air tankers drop fire retardant over active flames. Thick smoke clouds rise north of the city as flames consume wooded terrain located about 6 miles from the downtown area. In several suburbs, homes stand reduced to charred remains among burnt trees.
Emergency officials report that 64,000 residents remain under evacuation orders, a sharp increase from 4,000 a day earlier. Around 700 structures have been destroyed, mostly homes. Infrared aerial surveys indicate that another 400 buildings may have suffered damage or complete loss.
Firefighters continue operations on the ground. Body camera footage shows crews moving quickly between homes while tackling spot fires in residential neighbourhoods. Despite these efforts, authorities confirm zero containment across all three major fires.
The cause of the fires remains under investigation. Conditions across the region have worsened due to prolonged drought and high temperatures, which contribute to rapid fire spread. Similar conditions affect parts of North America and Europe, with scientists linking the trend to human-driven climate change.
North of the border, wildfires continue across British Columbia. Authorities report extreme fire behaviour in southern areas due to record drought levels. The Interagency Fire Centre records 44,722 wildfires across the United States so far this year. Nearly 5.2 million acres have burned, marking the highest levels for this period in over a decade.
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