Around 60,000 people were ordered to leave their homes as three wildfires threatened Spokane, Washington, on Sunday. Reuters reported that local officials said the fires had destroyed about 600 buildings, including homes and businesses.
Spokane Fire Chief Tom Williams told Reuters that the three blazes, collectively called the Spokane Area Fire, had burned roughly 5,390 acres and remained uncontained. No deaths or injuries had been reported by Sunday afternoon.
The fires also caused widespread power disruptions. About 10,000 customers were without electricity as emergency crews worked across the region.
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown described the event as the worst natural disaster the area had faced. Evacuation orders remained in effect while firefighters continued efforts to protect neighborhoods and control the flames.
The emergency extends beyond Spokane. State officials said fires were burning across more than 250,000 acres in Washington. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and requested federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
