SPOKANE, Washington — Wildfires that swept through the Spokane area have destroyed about 850 buildings and forced roughly 67,000 people to evacuate, authorities said, as firefighters worked to strengthen containment lines ahead of hotter, drier and windier weather.
The three fires, known collectively as the Spokane-area fires, erupted on Aug. 1 and rapidly spread through residential areas in and around Washington state's second-largest city. The largest, the Old Trails Fire, was deliberately set, authorities say, while the causes of the Autumn Lane and Fairview fires remain under investigation.
Firefighters have established containment lines around all three fires and are concentrating on reinforcing them and extinguishing remaining hot spots, officials said. Cooler temperatures earlier in the week helped crews make progress, but forecasts called for temperatures to rise into the upper 90s Fahrenheit (36-37 Celsius), accompanied by lower humidity and stronger winds.
Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said evacuation zones would remain in place because of the continuing fire danger.
"We are not going to be downgrading these zones in any large way for many, many more days to come," Nowels said at a news conference on Aug. 5. He said residents would not be allowed to return until officials were confident fire lines could hold.
Damage assessment teams have been working to determine the number of homes destroyed or damaged. Officials have said no deaths have been reported, while the fires have damaged critical infrastructure and left some neighborhoods without power or internet service.
The fires have also disrupted medical services. Staff at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center evacuated 27 patients when the flames approached, moving them to local hospitals and temporary shelters. The medical center itself was not destroyed, officials said.
Authorities have charged Aaron Farinacci, 37, with arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire. Court documents say investigators allege he researched weather conditions and selected Aug. 1 because of strong winds and low humidity. Farinacci has denied starting the fire when initially questioned, while prosecutors have charged him in connection with several other fires. His arraignment was delayed while a judge considers a request for a competency evaluation.
Officials said the other two major fires were also caused by human activity, although investigators have not determined whether they were deliberately started.
As of the latest official updates, firefighters had made progress establishing containment around the three fires, but evacuation orders remained in effect in areas considered at risk as warmer and drier weather approached.
