Washington wildfires force 60,000 evacuations, destroy hundreds of buildings VIDEO

Wildfires sweeping across eastern Washington state have forced the evacuation of around 60,000 people in the Spokane area and destroyed at least 600 homes, businesses and other structures, as firefighters continue battling multiple blazes that remain largely uncontained.

The fires in and around Spokane, Washington's second-largest city, burned approximately 8.2 square miles (21 square kilometres) over the weekend. They are among dozens of wildfires burning across the western United States, stretching the resources of federal, state and local firefighting agencies, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

Across Washington state, the fires have scorched around 390 square miles (1,000 square kilometres), with several major blazes, including those near Spokane, still not under control.

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency on August 1, while the National Weather Service issued a "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warning for eastern Washington due to extreme wildfire conditions.

Just a few minutes ago, I spoke with President Trump and Secretary Mullin. I detailed how dire and devastating the situation is in Spokane and across our state.

The President is aware of the situation, and expressed his concern for the people of Washington during this difficult…

— Governor Bob Ferguson (@GovBobFerguson) August 2, 2026

In a post on X, Ferguson said he had spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Mark Mullin to discuss the severity of the crisis.

"Just a few minutes ago, I spoke with President Trump and Secretary Mullin. I detailed how dire and devastating the situation is in Spokane and across our state," the governor wrote.

According to Ferguson, President Trump expressed concern for those affected by the fires, and the two sides discussed additional requests for federal assistance. The governor said he was optimistic that Washington's request for a federal emergency declaration would receive swift approval.

The latest developments come after the deployment of National Guard troops to support efforts to contain the wildfires in Washington state.

By Sabina Mammadli