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Cooler weather may aid firefighters battling wildfires in eastern Washington
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Wildfires near Spokane, Washington, have destroyed at least 600 structures and forced the evacuation of 60,000 people, burning about 12.5 square miles with 0% containment as of Monday morning.
- No major injuries or deaths reported, but authorities are still investigating missing persons and the cause of the fires remains undetermined.
- Additional large fires are burning across the Northwest U.S., including a 525-square-mile grassland fire in Idaho and Oregon threatening over 600 homes, and a rapidly expanding 57-square-mile blaze in central Utah prompting mandatory evacuations.
- Cooler temperatures and light winds are forecasted to aid firefighting efforts, but officials warn that danger remains high and air quality is poor across the region.
- Spokane has established shelters for evacuees, including a convention center housing about 400 people and emergency programs for children, while multiple large fires continue to burn in less populated areas nearby.
