Officials could not immediately count the losses because flames, smoke and dangerous winds kept assessment crews out of several neighborhoods.
SPOKANE, Wash. — Thousands of Spokane residents faced an uncertain wait Sunday after a wind-driven wildfire burned homes and other structures, emptied neighborhoods and prevented many families from learning whether they would have a house to return to.
The Old Trails Fire moved from open brush into residential areas Saturday, spreading so quickly that authorities issued Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation orders across parts of northwest Spokane. The fire crossed the Spokane River and continued toward neighborhoods while firefighters worked to protect houses along its path.
Officials confirmed that structures were lost but said they could not yet provide a dependable number of destroyed homes. Active flames, fallen debris, smoke and unstable conditions made some areas unsafe for damage-assessment teams. The absence of an official count meant residents had to rely on limited information while waiting outside evacuation zones.
The fire started around noon and expanded to roughly 3,000 acres by Saturday evening, according to state officials. It threatened about 4,000 structures and remained uncontained as winds continued to push the flames. The cause had not been determined and remained under investigation.
The fire’s movement toward houses transformed a wildland emergency into an urban evacuation. Residents encountered crowded roads as they left, and officials warned that smoke could make driving conditions worse with little notice. Authorities asked people to stay away from evacuation routes unless they were leaving an endangered area.
Some families departed with only the belongings they could quickly carry. Evacuation orders covered sections of northwest Spokane, Riverside State Park, the West Plains and nearby communities. Shelters opened for displaced residents as officials prepared for the possibility that evacuations could remain in effect while crews fought the fire and checked damaged streets.
The advancing flames also forced the evacuation of the Mann-Grandstaff Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Patients requiring hospital care were transferred to other medical facilities, while more than two dozen patients were relocated to shelters staffed by VA workers. The medical center remained closed until further notice.
At the Dwight Merkel Sports Complex, an annual volleyball event was evacuated as the fire approached. Images showed flames and smoke at the complex, and sporting events there were suspended. The evacuation demonstrated how quickly the fire moved from undeveloped land into heavily used parts of the city.
Gonzaga University offered dormitory rooms to employees displaced by the fire. The Spokane Humane Society also moved all animals from its facility and reported that they were safe. The relocations added to a broad emergency response involving hospitals, shelters, universities, animal-care organizations and utility crews.
Electric service was disrupted for tens of thousands of customers across the Spokane region as dangerous fire weather affected the area. Avista carried out public safety shutoffs in locations where electrical equipment could pose an added ignition risk. The outages complicated an evacuation already marked by dense smoke and rapidly changing fire lines.
The National Weather Service had issued a “particularly dangerous situation” red flag warning for eastern Washington. Strong winds, high temperatures and dry vegetation created conditions capable of driving rapid fire growth and carrying burning embers into residential areas.
The Old Trails Fire was part of a much larger outbreak across Washington. State officials said more than a dozen fires were burning, with thousands of firefighters assigned throughout the state. Gov. Bob Ferguson declared an emergency and issued a statewide burn ban, while the Washington National Guard was activated to assist with evacuations, traffic management and fire operations.
State officials said no deaths or injuries connected to the Spokane fire had been confirmed in the first reports. Crews continued protecting threatened neighborhoods Sunday as residents waited for evacuation orders to be revised and for inspectors to begin documenting burned homes and other property losses.
Author note: Last updated August 2, 2026.