DevelopingClimateTimeline
The 2026 Washington State Wildfires
Updated 11 updatessince 202 outlets
The 2026 Washington State Wildfires have resulted in extensive damage and massive evacuations around Spokane, with firefighting efforts ongoing and external support being provided amid changing weather conditions.
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Now
Aaron Farinacci, a 37-year-old man, was arrested for allegedly starting a wildfire in Spokane County.
20 sources · USA Today, Wsmv
Wildfire driven by strong winds has jumped the Spokane River, prompting new mandatory evacuations for neighborhoods near and within Spokane.
23 sources · Reuters, New York Times
Aaron Farinacci, charged with setting the Old Trails Fire in Spokane, has a criminal history that includes a manslaughter conviction for the 2010 killing of his father.
34 sources · AP, New York Times
Aaron Farinacci, a 37-year-old man, was arrested for allegedly starting the Old Trails Fire in Spokane.
45 sources · CBS News, NBC News
California has sent two federal interagency incident management teams, Team 4 and Team 7, to support firefighting efforts around Spokane, Washington.
13 sources · CBS News, NBC Los Angeles
Improving Weather Eases Wildfire Behavior
De-escalationFirefighters reported that improving weather conditions, including lower temperatures and reduced winds, have aided efforts to contain the wildfires around Spokane, Washington.
11 sources · New York Times, CBS News
Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide state of emergency and issued a ban on most outdoor burning in Washington on August 2nd, 2026.
38 sources · BBC, NPR
Fires Burn Additional 600 Structures
New FactsFires around Spokane have burned 600 structures and forced the evacuation of 5,000 homes, affecting over 8.2 square miles.
44 sources · AP, The Guardian
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown declared the ongoing wildfires as the worst disaster the region has faced.
23 sources · CBS News, NBC News
Evacuations increased by 1,500 people as the Upriver Fire advanced into neighborhoods in Spokane County, destroying at least 15 homes.
16 sources · Insurance, Clickondetroit
Latest reports indicate that the wildfires in Spokane have led to 60,000 evacuations, with over 600 structures destroyed.
70 sources · BBC, AP
- Origin Jul 4, 2026
The story so far
As of August 5, 2026
A fast-moving wildfire crisis around Spokane, Washington, has become a high-stakes urban‑wildland fight, with local, state, and federal crews racing to protect neighborhoods. With more than 700 buildings lost and about 64,000 residents ordered to evacuate, the stakes are public safety and safeguarding critical infrastructure in the peak of the summer fire season.
The fires erupted near Spokane and, driven by heat and wind under Washington’s first Particularly Dangerous Situation fire warning, surged into populated areas that proved hard to defend at speed. Embers carried across the Spokane River triggered new fronts inside the city, forcing rapid expansion of evacuation zones. Old Trails accounts for most of the destruction, while the Autumn Lane fire has grown to the largest footprint in the Spokane Complex. California sent two federal interagency incident management teams, Team 4 and Team 7, to bolster command and logistics.
Now, cooler temperatures and easing winds are helping crews shore up lines and begin damage assessments, and a statewide emergency and ban on most outdoor burning remain in effect. A federal emergency declaration has unlocked assistance. Officials emphasize no known deaths have been identified, and totals remain provisional as assessors reach burned neighborhoods and as containment depends on the weather holding.
The story has also become a criminal case. Aaron Farinacci, 37, has been arrested and charged with arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, and he previously served time for the 2010 manslaughter of his father. Investigators had contacted him about other blazes last year. Authorities are now pursuing a criminal investigation alongside suppression and recovery.
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