A frightening wildfire video showed parts of a Spokane neighborhood transformed into a smoke-filled disaster zone Saturday, as fast-moving flames destroyed homes and sent thousands of residents fleeing in one of the most severe fire emergencies the Washington city has faced.
Video taken along North Indian Trail Road captured dense black smoke billowing above homes while the Old Trails Fire pushed rapidly toward the neighborhood, obscuring the skyline beneath a massive plume, according to 4 News Now.
As the fire advanced through northwest Spokane, police vehicles rushed toward the danger while residents evacuated south on North Indian Trail Road, trying to get ahead of the growing inferno.
The wind-fueled wildfire started near Old Trails Road and Euclid Avenue around midday, then jumped the Spokane River and surged into northwest Spokane, prompting Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation orders for Indian Trail, Five Mile Prairie and surrounding neighborhoods, The Spokesman-Review reported.
By Saturday evening, the Old Trails Fire had expanded to 3,509 acres and was still 0% contained, with gusts reaching 35 to 45 mph pushing flames through Riverside State Park and into residential areas, the report said.
Officials confirmed that homes had been lost in the blaze, but no formal estimate of the damage had been released.
The Spokane wildfire broke out as Washington state faced an extraordinary fire crisis.
Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide wildfire emergency and called up the Washington National Guard as extreme heat, drought and fierce winds created dangerous fire conditions across the state.
The National Weather Service also issued Washington’s first-ever “Particularly Dangerous Situation” Red Flag Warning for Eastern Washington, warning that new fires could spread rapidly and spiral out of control.
The rare warning is reserved for the most dangerous fire weather, when strong winds, low humidity and dry vegetation create conditions for explosive wildfire growth.
“When the sun sets and the sun rises, we are going to be in shock,” Washington Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh warned during a Saturday evening news conference.
“This is an extraordinary fire season. This is not normal; this is unusual,” Washington Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove said.
The Old Trails Fire was one of several wildfires burning across the Spokane area, alongside the Fairview Fire near Mead and the Autumn Lane Fire near Nine Mile Falls, both of which also triggered evacuation orders.
The fast-moving fire forced the evacuation of the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center and other care facilities, while the American Red Cross opened emergency shelters for displaced residents.
As smoke blotted out the sun and traffic clogged evacuation routes, emergency officials urged residents to stay away from affected neighborhoods unless they were evacuating, warning that congestion was hampering firefighting efforts.
The cause of the Old Trails Fire remains under investigation.
