Around 60,000 people were ordered to leave their homes as three wildfires threatened Spokane, Washington. The fires had destroyed about 600 buildings, including homes and businesses.
Emergency Response
Spokane Fire Chief Tom Williams said the three blazes, collectively called the Spokane Area Fire, had burned roughly 5,390 acres and remained uncontained. No deaths or injuries had been reported.
The fires also caused widespread power disruptions, with about 10,000 customers without electricity as emergency crews worked across the region. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown described the event as the worst natural disaster the area had faced.
State officials said fires were burning across more than 250,000 acres in Washington. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and requested federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Original reporting: WMAL (Washington DC) — read the source article.
