Washington Declares Statewide Emergency as Spokane Evacuations Escalate Amid 1,000+ Wildfires

Authorities have ordered urgent evacuations for large numbers of residents in cities across eastern Washington state amid rapidly expanding wildfires — the worst outbreak since 2021, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources.

Spokane Under Immediate Evacuation Orders

Three major, fast-moving wildfires are burning inside Spokane city limits. Local authorities issued Level 3 evacuation orders — the highest tier, mandating immediate departure as a final warning — across broad sections of the city. One of the blazes had consumed more than 3,500 acres by Sunday morning.

Washington National Guard troops were activated late Saturday night to support local first responders. Governor Bob Ferguson announced a statewide wildfire emergency on Saturday and confirmed he would travel to Spokane to assess conditions firsthand.

Emergency Infrastructure Activated

Spokane opened its city-owned convention center as an emergency shelter for displaced residents. The city’s population exceeds 230,000, per U.S. Census Bureau data.

As of Sunday morning, mapping systems showed dozens of active fires scattered across Washington state. A historic, statewide drought has intensified fire risk, prompting Ferguson to issue a comprehensive burn ban on Saturday.

Widespread Power Outages Reported

Thousands of Washington residents experienced electricity disruptions. According to real-time outage maps from Avista Utilities, approximately 11,000 customers were without power Sunday morning — more than 8,000 of them located in Spokane County.

This year alone, over 1,000 wildfires have scorched nearly 425,000 acres across Washington state — the largest total acreage burned since 2021, the Department of Natural Resources confirmed.