600 Structures and Forced the Evacuation of 60,000 People in the Spokane Area, Where Officials Warned Sunday That the Danger Is Far

The blazes, among dozens burning across the Western U.S., have scorched roughly 390 square miles statewide, with some fires still uncontained, according to the Associated Press. In Spokane County, three fires—the Old Trails, Fairview, and Meadowview fires—have consumed about 8.2 square miles over the weekend, fueled by strong winds and dry conditions. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency Saturday, and the National Weather Service issued a 'particularly dangerous situation' red flag alert for the region.

Emergency shelters have been set up at the Spokane Convention Center and fairgrounds, with about 400 people staying at the convention center as of Sunday. The fires have also knocked out power for around 10,000 residents. Officials said there have been no reports of injuries or missing people, but they cautioned that it is early in the response.

Evacuees include patients from the U.S. Veterans Affairs hospital. 'We are not out of danger, said U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell during a news conference. 'The next couple of days will be challenging.

The weather is expected to remain dry, with wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph forecast, complicating firefighting efforts. Benjamin Cossel, a public information officer for the federal response team, noted that the region's steep canyons and hills create turbulent wind patterns that push flames up slopes. Meanwhile, a separate fire in western Idaho and eastern Oregon has burned nearly 525 square miles of grassland, threatening more than 600 homes and 800 other structures.

That fire, caused by lightning, is expected to persist as temperatures climb above 90 degrees Fahrenheit midweek. Air quality warnings are in effect for parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, with red flag warnings for Utah, Montana, and western Nebraska, and extreme heat warnings for southern Arizona, California, Nevada, and northern Montana. Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the Spokane fires. "We are not out of danger,"