Spokane wildfire destroys 640 structures: ‘Probably the largest, most destructive fire in Washington’s history’

SPOKANE, Washington (The Spokesman-Review) — The Old Trails wildfire in northwest Spokane destroyed 640 structures Saturday, according to Cody Rohrbach, Spokane County Fire District 3 fire chief.

Many of the homes burned were inside the city limits of Spokane, according to a 6 a.m. fire briefing as officials began assessing damage.

There has been no confirmed reports of lives lost, “but based on radio traffic, it will be anticipated,” Rohrbach said. The fire was 3,500 acres as of late Saturday night.

When taken together with other fires in the immediate Spokane area, the wildfire acreage was listed Sunday morning as 5,390 acres.

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The fire started on the West Plains, where strong winds blew it northeast into Riverside State Park. It then jumped the Spokane River, raced up the bluffs and began burning neighborhoods, including Indian Trails and Five Mile Prairie.

Mass evacuations remain in place, with the Spokane Convention Center serving as the main shelter for families that had to flee their homes in chaotic scenes that unfolded in the neighborhoods of northwest Spokane.

Mayor Lisa Brown declared a state of emergency, and winds gusted between 35 and 45 mph for hours. Gov. Bob Ferguson activated the National Guard. Ferguson is flying to Spokane on Sunday morning.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Hundreds of firefighters are in the area, including some 120 personnel from California Interagency Management Team 7, who arrived in Spokane last night and immediately began shadowing local crews on the fire lines, assisting into the morning.

Incident Commander Tom Clemo said it will likely be days before it’s known exactly how many homes were lost.

“Probably the largest, most destructive fire in Washington’s history occurred yesterday afternoon,” he said.

Clemo said the coordination from local fire department saved lives and property.

Some are set to work 30-40 hours straight, Rohrbach said.

“Yesterday’s day shift was last night’s night shift, and they’re again today’s day shift,” Rohrbach said. “We did that intentionally based on the imminent threat to life.”

Early Sunday morning, evacuees at the convention center sat on cots and wrapped themselves in American Red Cross blankets as they woke up to a city changed. Many held their heads in their hands as they gripped newspapers or phones, hearing for the first the devastation of the day before.

Laura Brodnax, 72, got a call from her neighbor yesterday evening warning her she needed to evacuate immediately. Living on Monroe with her eight cats, Brodnax packed up five of the cats into three carriers – leaving behind three with plenty of food and water and a pray that the house wouldn’t burn.

“I called 911; I said ‘I’m disabled. I have five cats and three carriers. I will not leave my cats, so I’m gonna go out and sit on the curb,’” Brodnax said.

“That sounds like a good idea,” Brodnax remembered the dispatcher telling her.

Waiting outside with her neighbor who refused to leave Brodnax behind, the police picked her up to transport her to Shadle Park High School. Later, Brodnax was again bussed to the Spokane Convention Center.

“I would never dream this would happen,” Brodnax said. “I thought I was in about the safest place – no earthquakes, no water – how could I possibly be in a dangerous fire situation? I’m in the middle of town.”

The convention center was busy with people, cots, chairs and pets. Volunteers in red American Red Cross vests darted around attending to needs and talking with people. By 9 a.m. evacuees lined up to grab food, water and coffee breakfast, and pet owners were given animal kibble and crates if needed.

Other fires that ignited Saturday also led to mass evacuations and destroyed homes.

A wildfire in the Suncrest area across the Spokane River in Stevens County was started by an ember.

Wind spread the fire rapidly uphill, where it burned three homes along Meadowview, according to Stevens County Fire District No. 1.

Many more houses burned as fire resources ran short. The fire district noted that it was able to save many houses.

The Red Cross has opened an evacuation shelter at Jenkins High School in Chewelah for evacuees in southern Stevens County.

Elena Perry, Julia Pentasuglio, Alex Duggan, Amanda Sullender, Nick Gibson, Megan Howard and John Stucke contributed to this article