Spokane Wildfires: Community Evacuations and Lessons Learned

Firefighters and residents worked tirelessly on Tuesday to sift through the wreckage left after wildfires ravaged homes in a Spokane neighborhood.

Margaret Albaugh for NPR

SPOKANE, Wash. – This metropolitan area, home to more than half a million people, is grappling with wildfires that devastated entire neighborhoods and led to the evacuation of roughly 65,000 individuals. Despite the widespread destruction of more than 800 structures in Spokane County, no deaths have been reported. The city’s emergency management director, Sarah Nuss, underscored this point stating, “People were able to get out within a reasonable amount of time, and we have not to this day learned of any deaths or injuries related to the evacuations or the fires.”

Recent urban wildfires have not fared so well. In January 2025, the Eaton and Palisades fires claimed over 30 lives in Los Angeles County. In Maui, the Lahaina fires of 2023 took more than 100 lives. The Marshall Fire near Boulder, Colorado in 2021 resulted in two fatalities. These firestorms began in wildland areas and spread rapidly into urban settings, where buildings became the primary fuel.

Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels highlighted the city’s evacuation process as a key factor in managing the disaster. This process successfully included entire neighborhoods, nursing homes, a dementia care center, and the Veterans Affairs hospital campus. “If you think about what that entails, the fact that we were able to get people out of those areas within several hours in an active fire is pretty incredible,” Nowels remarked.

The fires followed extreme wildfire danger warnings. Resident TJ Brill shared a piece of his journey, showing a cup pulled from the remains of his home alongside family heirlooms. Brill hopes to recover treasured items, including World War II medals.

The Old Trails Fire jumped the Spokane River on Saturday, blazing into the city’s wooded areas. It reached near Terry and Warren Clark’s home, which fortunately escaped destruction. As the Clarks evacuated, they aided their 91-year-old neighbor. Warren Clark recounted the experience to NPR: “As you can see, that’s a wooded area right behind our house, so we butt up to all of the fuel.”

The Clarks reside in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), where forests border densely populated neighborhoods. It’s difficult to pinpoint why lives were spared, but improved coordination during such events plays a significant role.

Hugh Safford, from the University of California at Davis, discussed advancements in forecasting over the past decade. Firefighters are now better prepared to respond when there’s a big red flag warning, equipped with resources like trucks and personnel.

Spokane was informed well ahead of the dangers, with warnings about extreme heat and winds fueling potential fires.

Local leaders had anticipated such fires for years. “We’ve been warning about this,” Nuss stated, highlighting a rise in wildfires due to climate change, resulting in hotter summers and less precipitation.

To combat potential crises, Nuss’s office led mass evacuation drills with residents in fire-prone neighborhoods. Unfortunately, budget constraints limited further and earlier drills. However, past exercises potentially helped alleviate traffic congestion that could become lethal.

Wildfire management faces increased dangers. Spokane’s neighborhoods fall within the WUI, where development continues in high-risk areas. Rising CO2 levels contribute to climate changes, complicating firefighting endeavors. Jose Ibarra, crew boss trainee from Salem, Oregon, noted many current wildland fires are urban. Despite improved data for wildfire crisis management, the systemic challenges remain largely unaddressed.

Ibarra emphasized the ongoing risk, indicating smoldering trees as he tackled hot spots. “You can see right now… that stump is smoking, that’s why we’re here,” he explained.