About 60,000 ordered to evacuate from fires in Spokane, Washington


A drone view shows smoke enveloping the sky as a wildfire burns in the Spokane area, Washington, U.S., August 2, 2026. REUTERS/David Ryder

NEW ⁠YORK, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Around 60,000 people have ⁠been ordered to evacuate as wildfires threaten ‌the city of Spokane in Washington state, local officials said Sunday, adding the fires in the region had destroyed 600 ​buildings, including homes and businesses.

The ⁠Spokane Area Fire, ⁠which contains three separate blazes, was threatening the areas ⁠under ‌evacuation orders, Spokane Fire Chief Tom Williams told Reuters.

The fires had burned 5,390 ⁠acres (2,180 hectares) by Sunday, according to a ​federal incident ‌management team.

Williams said the fires had yet ⁠to be ​contained.

No injuries or deaths had been reported, officials said at a Sunday afternoon news conference.

Spokane Mayor Lisa ⁠Brown called it "the worst natural ​disaster our region has faced."

Around 10,000 electricity customers in the region had no power as of Sunday ⁠afternoon, Avista Utilities CEO Heather Rosentrader said.

State officials have said that more than 250,000 acres (101,171 hectares) are burning across Washington state.

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson ​said he had spoken with ⁠U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday and requested ​assistance from the Federal Emergency ‌Management Agency. The governor has ​declared a statewide emergency.

(Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer; Editing by Sergio Non and Michael Perry)

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