Spokane wildfires destroy over 700 structures as 64,000 flee fast-moving Washington blazes

Wildfires raging near Spokane, Washington, for a third day have destroyed at least 700 buildings and forced about 64,000 people to evacuate. The blazes have scorched over 8,000 acres since Saturday. No injuries or fatalities reported, but officials warn that may change. Roughly 1,100 firefighters are battling the fires, which remain uncontained.

Wildfires raging on the outskirts of Spokane, Washington, for a third day have destroyed at least 700 buildings and forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. The cluster of three blazes ranks as the top firefighting priority in the US, scorching more than 8,000 acres since erupting on Saturday. As of Monday, some 64,000 people were under immediate evacuation orders, up from 4,000 a day earlier. At least 700 structures have gone up in flames, most in residential areas, with possibly another 400 damaged or destroyed. No injuries or fatalities have been reported, but officials say there is a high probability that will change as search teams reach devastated communities. An unspecified number of people are missing. Roughly 1,100 firefighters are battling the blazes, a fraction of the more than 29,200 personnel assigned to wildfires nationwide. The fires remain uncontained. The cause is under investigation. The conditions driving increased wildfire activity are largely a function of human-caused climate change, according to scientists.