Forest fires in Washington destroy around 700 buildings and force 64,000 people to flee

Officials reported on Monday that wildfires raging in the suburbs of Spokane, Washington, for a third consecutive day have destroyed at least 700 buildings and forced tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes in and around the state’s second-most populous city.

This group of three fires is considered a top priority for firefighting operations across the United States, including in the drought-stricken Pacific Northwest region, where dozens of major wildfires have been burning for weeks, causing air quality to deteriorate across a wide area.

The Spokane area fires have consumed more than 8,000 acres since they broke out on Saturday in and around the city, which has a population of approximately 230,000.

Spokesman for the Emergency Operations Center Benjamin Kussell said that immediate evacuation orders were issued for about 64,000 people by Monday, up from 4,000 the previous day.

Kussell added that at least 700 buildings were engulfed in flames, mostly in residential areas, and aerial infrared surveys indicated that an additional 400 buildings, including homes, were likely damaged or destroyed.