Firefighters in Washington have been able to contain wildfires that have burned hundreds of square miles — more than a thousand square kilometers — including a destructive complex near Spokane. However, forecasters warn that over the weekend the wind will pick up, temperatures will rise, and it could erase some of the gains made so far.
In the Spokane area, the state’s second-largest city, crews are continuing to fight three major fires — Old Trails, Fairview and Othello Lane. The most active, Othello Lane, as of Wednesday morning was contained at 13%; Old Trails was also 13%, while Fairview was contained at only 5%. On Wednesday afternoon, a new fire broke out to the west of Othello Lane, called Charles, and it quickly grew to about 2.4 hectares. There are homes nearby, so authorities first issued a mandatory evacuation within a one-mile radius (about 1.6 km), but the threat level was soon reduced to a recommendation to be ready to leave.
Washington uses a three-tier alert system. Level 1 (“be ready”) means the fire is close; residents are told to prepare documents, medications, belongings, an action plan and to monitor conditions. Level 2 (“be prepared”) is a recommendation to get ready to leave immediately: pack bags, fill up the car, keep animals nearby; evacuation may be voluntary or recommended. Level 3 (“leave now”) is a mandatory evacuation: the danger to life is real and immediate, and people must leave the area right away. At the first two levels, residents may stay if they feel safe, while Level 3 requires immediate departure. Formally, police and sheriffs do not force people out, but they warn that if residents refuse to evacuate, help may not arrive in time.
After all three fires ignited on Saturday, more than 60,000 people were forced to leave their homes; at least 700 structures have been destroyed. Some residents were able to return home as early as Tuesday, though evacuation orders remain in effect in some areas.
Gov. Bob Ferguson praised firefighters for establishing containment lines at all three fronts and called their work significant progress. Such statements are not just official reporting. Using the state’s emergency laws, the governor can formally declare a state of emergency, which allows him to deploy the National Guard, mobilize resources from the Department of Natural Resources and other agencies, release emergency funds from the budget, and request federal help from the president. His remarks both formally inform the public, help sustain the morale of volunteers and emergency workers, and signal to federal and local agencies that conditions are stabilizing, even though the situation still requires close monitoring.
But the weather is making it worse. In Eastern Washington, temperatures in the mid-to-high 90s Fahrenheit (up to 38°C) are possible Friday and Saturday, and humidity will drop. According to the National Weather Service, the chance of gusts over 20 mph (32 km/h) is 30–60%, while the chance of gusts over 30 mph (48 km/h) is 5%. Much of the heat and dryness can be explained by geography. The Cascade Mountains run north to south through the entire state and block moist air masses coming in from the Pacific Ocean. Ocean air cools and condenses on the western slopes, so the area west of the range, including Seattle, receives plenty of precipitation, with a mild, maritime climate. On the eastern side, the air sinks, becomes drier and warmer — a phenomenon known as a “rain shadow.” As a result, Eastern Washington gets far fewer summer rains, vegetation dries out, and wildfires start and spread far more easily than in the wetter western region.
In Central Washington, the largest fire, the Canyon Fire (Kaiser Canyon), which began July 16 after a lightning strike, had burned almost 214 square miles (about 550 sq km) by Wednesday morning and was 48% contained. More than 1,000 firefighters are battling it. With wind and heat expected Thursday and Friday to increase fire activity, especially along the foothills of the Cascades and in the Okanogan area, the odds of gusts over 30 mph (48 km/h) on Friday and Saturday there are expected to be 40–70%. The edges of the fire could flare up again.
The Murdite (Modrart?) Fire, also caused by lightning on July 17, had burned nearly 84 square miles (about 218 sq km) by Wednesday morning and was 53% contained. More moderate weather in recent days helped crews make good progress. While a shift to a southwesterly wind could change the direction of fire spread, experts do not currently see the same level of concerns about an escalation of that blaze as they do with other fires.
Farther north, in Okanogan County, the Sinlakhekin (Sinlahhekin) Fire reached 183 square miles (about 474 sq km) and was contained at just 9%. More than 1,500 firefighters are reinforcing and building containment lines, but hot, dry weather, critically dry vegetation, steep terrain and a growing atmosphere of instability threaten significant fire activity. The Little Giant Fire, about 35 km northwest of Leavenworth, has burned about 111 square miles (nearly 290 sq km) and is not contained at all so far: 255 people have been evacuated, and more than 1,800 structures are threatened. More than 1,500 specialists are involved in fighting it as well.
Smoke from the fires has made the air in Eastern and Central Washington harmful for breathing; it’s also possible similar pollution will reach Seattle. Although prevailing winds in the region generally blow from west to east, strong fires and changing conditions can create local flows that carry smoke over the Cascade passes. Large wildfires generate their own pyro-cumulus clouds and draw in air from multiple directions, so the smoke plume rises high and is then spread by winds over significant distances. To warn residents, authorities use the Washington Air Quality Advisory (WAQA), a special air-quality scale tailored to smoke from wildfires, as well as standard AQI indices. They issue air-quality alerts, recommend limiting time outdoors, closing windows and using air purifiers, and in especially dangerous situations they advise wearing N95 respirators. Information is distributed through local news, apps, social media and automated alerts to mobile phones. Friday and Saturday are expected to bring relief as air-flow patterns shift. But until then, firefighters remain on edge: even with gains already made, any new gust of wind could quickly turn the situation worse.
Based on: Heat, wind threaten progress made against WA wildfires