Thousands evacuate in Spokane as wildfire crosses river into city

A wildfire driven by high winds jumped the Spokane River on Saturday afternoon, burning homes and quickly moving into the Indian Trail neighborhood.

New Level 3 (“Go Now!”) evacuation orders were issued just before 3:30 p.m., affecting thousands of people within Spokane city limits. They were later expanded to include all of the city north of Francis Avenue and west of Division Street. 

Officials urged all residents in the evacuation zone to leave immediately.

The Old Trails fire grew to 2,500 acres by 4:30 p.m., pushed by wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph.

Flames and smoke were cascading over trees next to Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, 3624 W. Indian Trail Road, about 4:30 p.m. Fire crews were on scene working to protect the school and church. Police were speeding north on North Indian Trail Road while residents were fleeing southbound.

Married couple Nancy and Darrell Wagner stood outside the Red Cross evacuation center set up at the student athletic center at Spokane Falls Community College as their dog Fritz nervously yapped in the grass. 

“We’ve never done this before,” said Darrell Wagner, 76. 

The couple left their home in Indian Trail as quick as possible when they received the notice to evacuate. Other neighbors in the area said they’d seen nearby homes burn, so the couple grabbed their dog, not much else, and left. 

“We’ve lived in that house for 31 years now,” Darrell Wagner said. 

“Well, if it’s still standing,” added Nancy Wagner, 73.

Spokane City Councilmember Kitty Klitzke, who represents northwest Spokane, urged residents in north Spokane to stay off the roads unless they are evacuating. Streets were reportedly packed as folks fled the evacuation zone. Klitzke said Spokane Transit Authority buses were assisting in evacuations.

Spokane County Commissioner Al French, who represents the West Plains and Indian Trails neighborhoods, said the damage left in the wake could be “tragic.”

“If you’re not in the path of the fires, reach out to friends, because a lot of folks are going to need a safe place to reside and hold up in until this risk goes away,” French said. “Be a good neighbor and help your neighbor.”

Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels called in all deputies Saturday to assist with door-to-door evacuations, French said. Meanwhile, Chandra Fox, deputy director of emergency management for the county, was coordinating with the state Department of Natural Resources and other agencies to get more wildland firefighters.

Among fire crews called in to help were some from the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department.

“This is an extraordinary fire season. This is not normal; this is unusual,” Washington Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove said at a joint news conference on the fire with Gov. Bob Ferguson. 

Upthegrove said all necessary resources are being assigned to help prevent loss of life and property.

“We’re going to do what it takes to keep this state safe,” Upthegrove said. 

Avista Utilities reported about 40,000 customers without power in the Spokane area, many as a preemptive measure across the city, including areas not within the evacuation area.

Avista spokesperson David Vowels said Saturday was a long day as multiple fires threatened the utility’s grid.

“There are still a lot of customers impacted,” he said Saturday evening.

Vowels provided a statement from the company that said the Old Trails fire did not spark from the utility’s infrastructure, but that some parts were damaged in the fire.

“We are aware of outages as a result,” the statement reads. “These are a result of the fire and are unconnected with Public Safety Power Shutoffs that have been implemented today. We will begin the process of assessing potential restoration needs when it is safe to do so.”

Wildfire encroaches on city neighborhoods

The Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center was under an evacuation order. Some patients have been transferred, including seven to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and another seven to Holy Family Hospital.

Earlier, residents at Spokane Health and Rehabilitation Home at 6025 N. Assembly St. were being evacuated as residents waited in the shade and grass for evacuation busses.

Cars full of evacuating residents could be seen stretching south along Northwest Boulevard. Smoke was so thick it blotted out the sun on North Driscoll Boulevard and West Francis Avenue.

Sponsored

Flames were visible as trees in the dry Riverside State Park erupted in towering flames. 

Firefighters assisted by aircraft were attempting to protect neighborhoods.

Wind picked up around noon in Spokane, with 25 to 35 mph gusts blowing toward the east and northeast, said Antoinette Serrato, National Weather Service meteorologist. A “particularly dangerous” weather warning was only meant to be in place from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. The less-severe red flag warning is in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

The fire quickly spread near Nine Mile Road. Residents near Nine Mile on North Greenwood Boulevard were spraying down their homes and their neighbors’ homes. Some were wetting down firewood outside their houses.

Theresa Sullivan, who was spraying down her home and her neighbor’s home with a hose, said: “It’s never been this close before.”

“I never thought it would be up here,” she said. “I’m in shock.”

Those living along Northwest Boulevard congregated along the ledge by the road. Across the Spokane River, flames covered a hillside just miles away.

As cars fled the flames bumper to bumper for miles, those out of danger watched from picnic blankets.

In 30 years living in Spokane, Michael Keller said he had never seen fire get so close to the city’s core.

“I’ve never seen it this bad. It has never in my life been this close,” he said.

Keller’s wife and adult son had just left to go toward the evacuation zone, hoping to recover items from the empty home of a relative.

“I don’t know if they’ll even get in. They’re trying save we stuff, but I’m really worried about them if they do make it in,” he said.

The fire quickly tore through 350 to 400 acres in the area around West Euclid Road and North Old Trails Road within about an hour and a half of starting, according to the Watch Duty website. Not long after, it spread into Riverside State Park and jumped the Spokane River into the city.

“Multiple structures are imminently threatened,” according to a Watch Duty report. Firefighters could be seen on the roofs of houses trying to save the homes from burning. 

Mandatory evacuations expanded.

Police were barricading the evacuation zone as some residents pushed back, hoping to be let in to collect their things. 

Bob Moore raced up North Government Way on Saturday but was intercepted by Spokane police.

“You got to let me go up there, man,” Moore called from his truck window.

“I can’t let you up there right now,” the officer told him.

“My shop, my house. I need to protect my house,” Moore pleaded.

The officer called around, made an attempt to try to get Moore up to his home.

“I’m worried about my stuff,” Moore said.

“I’m sorry,” the officer told him.

Moore told The Spokesman-Review his wife grabbed their “go-bags” and their dogs, and that she was waiting at the bottom of the hill.

“She called and said, ‘You got to come home right now,’” Moore said as he watched the plume of smoke erupt past Riverside State Park.

Others who were intercepted at the roadblock on North Government Way were crying and pleading with police to let them up the hill. There was nothing police could do, they said.

The blaze comes as the National Weather Service on Friday issued a historic first warning for Eastern Washington of “particularly dangerous” weather, a step up from the typical red flag warnings the agency issues on hot, dry and windy days. 

“This means that new fires will grow rapidly and out of control,” the warning reads. “Be on alert for fire starts and be prepared to evacuate immediately for all fires.”

Spokesman-Review staffers Alayna Shulman, Jonathan Brunt, Ricky Schodl, Elena Perry and Nick Gibson contributed to this article.