Washington fires burn 250,000 acres, triggering evacuations and power outages in region

Wildfires across more than 250,000 acres in Washington state have forced evacuations and power outages in the Spokane area. About 4,000 firefighters are battling over a dozen fires. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and burn ban. The Old Trails Fire near Spokane has burned 3,000 acres and threatens 4,000 structures. About 200 homes have been evacuated, and 60,000 people are without power. No injuries or fatalities have been reported.

Wildfires across more than 250,000 acres in Washington state have forced widespread evacuations and power outages in the Spokane area, state officials said on Saturday evening. About 4,000 people were fighting more than a dozen fires throughout the state, according to Dave Upthegrove, the state's commissioner of public lands. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and burn ban on Saturday morning. No injuries or fatalities related to the fire were known at that point. The Old Trails Fire near Spokane, home to about 230,000 residents, was active on 3,000 acres and threatened 4,000 structures, said Washington State Forester George Geissler. Some major facilities in Spokane have been evacuated, including water reclamation facilities, a waste-energy plant, and the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. As of 3:30 p.m. local time, about 200 homes had been evacuated, but officials expected that number to rise. Utilities company Avista reported that 60,000 people were without power. For the summer so far, about 450,000 acres have burned in Washington state, Upthegrove said. The fire in Spokane is one of five major complex fires in the state; the biggest, the Kaiser Canyon Fire, is approximately 134,000 acres. Wildfires have also been a problem elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest, with nearly 34,000 lightning strikes last month leading to fires in British Columbia. Firefighters from more than a dozen states are helping, in addition to the National Guard.