Thousands evacuated in north Spokane as wildfire crosses river into city

Key Points:

• A rapidly spreading wildfire, driven by wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph, jumped the Spokane River and moved into the Indian Trail Neighborhood, prompting new level 3 evacuation orders affecting thousands of residents in Spokane city limits.
• The Old Trails fire expanded to 2,500 acres by late afternoon, threatening multiple structures including the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center and nearby homes, with firefighters and aircraft working to protect neighborhoods and critical facilities.
• Authorities urged immediate evacuation for residents north of Francis Avenue and west of Division Street, with police conducting door-to-door evacuations and Spokane Transit Authority assisting, while roads became heavily congested with fleeing residents.
• Local officials emphasized the severity of the situation, describing potential damage as "tragic," and called for community support for displaced residents; emergency management coordinated with state agencies to deploy additional wildland firefighters.
• The fire's rapid growth coincided with a historic "particularly dangerous" weather warning issued by the National Weather Service for Eastern Washington, highlighting the heightened risk of uncontrollable fire spread due to hot, dry, and windy conditions.