A rapid wildfire, driven by strong winds and high temperatures, swept across northwest Spokane on Saturday. The fire, known as the Old Trails Fire, started around noon and quickly spread toward residential areas.

Authorities evacuated thousands as the blaze jumped the Spokane River. Cars filled the roads as people left their homes. The highway offered a view of orange and red flames.

Courtney James, a spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, stated that the fire had burned almost 4 square miles (10 square kilometers) of terrain by evening. The cause remains under investigation.

We urge residents of Spokane to heed evacuation orders and to stay alert to changing conditions and evacuations as they are rapidly changing, said James.

Jessica Watson, another DNR spokesperson, noted that some structures were lost. However, officials had not yet counted the number of structures affected. Firefighters faced zero containment by evening, with winds still blowing.

In response to elevated fire risk, Avista, the local power company, implemented public safety shutoffs in the area.

Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency on Saturday. The decision followed unusually high temperatures and strong winds that worsened wildfires statewide. The National Weather Service issued a “particularly dangerous situation” red flag alert for eastern Washington.