Spokane Shows What the New Era of Wildfires Looks Like
A series of massive wildfires near Spokane, Washington, forced the conversion of a convention center into a Red Cross emergency shelter as hundreds of residents were evacuated. The fires have destroyed over 700 buildings and burned more than half a million acres across the state, marking the most destructive season on record. Scientists link the heightened fire activity to a hotter, drier climate and reduced snowpack that left the landscape exceptionally dry.
- ▪Three large fires that started on Saturday around Spokane have destroyed more than 700 buildings by Monday afternoon.
- ▪Washington has burned over half a million acres this season, while Oregon set a record with nearly 2 million acres burned.
- ▪At least 65,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate across Washington, with many displaced individuals being senior citizens and their caretakers.
- ▪Researchers attribute the extreme fire conditions to higher temperatures, increased atmospheric moisture capacity, and an unusually low snowpack that melted early, leaving the region parched.
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| Original publisher | WIRED |
| Canonical URL | https://www.wired.com/story/spokane-shows-new-era-of-wildfires/ |
| Publication time | Sat, 08 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-08-08T09:05:41.838Z |
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Sachi Kitajima MulkeyScienceAug 8, 2026 5:00 AMSpokane Shows What the New Era of Wildfires Looks LikeWith rising temperatures and drier conditions, fires are more likely to explode. And with more people living next to forests, the results can be catastrophic.Utility workers help clear obstacles at a home burned during the Old Trails Fire in Spokane, Washington, on August 4, 2026.Photograph: Josh Edelson/Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyBetsy Robertson was standing in the center of the Spokane Convention Center on Monday afternoon, but she wasn’t there for a gala or a conference.
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