Wind-Driven Wildfire Destroys Structures, Causes Evacuations in Eastern Washington
A wind-driven wildfire in eastern Washington state has wreaked havoc, destroying at least 185 structures, closing a major highway, and claiming one life, according to authorities. The blaze, known as the Gray Fire, started on the west side of Medical Lake, about 15 miles west of Spokane, on Friday afternoon and quickly expanded, fueled by strong winds.
The fire has grown to nearly 15 square miles as of Saturday morning, with zero containment. Additional updates on the size of the fire are expected on Sunday. The structures destroyed by the fire included homes and outbuildings. Evacuation orders were issued for the town as the flames moved southward. The orders were later extended to the town of Tyler.
Among those forced to evacuate were the parents of Spokane City Councilman Zack Zappone. Zappone shared the harrowing experience of his parents narrowly escaping the fire, only to witness their home and his uncle’s home being engulfed in flames. The family had lived there for nearly two decades, having just paid off their mortgage last year.
The fire crossed over Interstate 90 on Friday night, resulting in the closure of the major east-west thoroughfare. The highway remains closed in both directions as the fire continues to burn on both sides. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
Sadly, there has been one confirmed fatality associated with the fire, with further details yet to be released. Meanwhile, staff, patients, and residents at Eastern State Hospital and the Lakeland Village Residential Habilitation Center in Medical Lake are taking shelter in place. Evacuees from the affected town have found temporary shelter at a local high school.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee expressed his concern for the residents who have been ordered to evacuate and praised the efforts of the first responders battling the fire. He urged everyone to remain safe and out of harm’s way.
In addition to the wildfires in eastern Washington, hundreds of wildfires are also ravaging Western Canada. In British Columbia alone, about 30,000 people have been forced to evacuate, and the entire province is under a state of emergency. The Northwest Territories’ capital city, Yellowknife, has also seen the evacuation of approximately 20,000 residents due to an approaching complex of wildfires.
As of Saturday evening, there are 384 active wildfires burning in British Columbia and another 236 in the Northern Territories. Canada is currently grappling with its worst wildfire season on record, with over 5,700 wildfires burning more than 53,000 square miles so far this year. In June, the smoke from these wildfires caused a drastic decline in air quality levels across the United States.