At least 65,000 people have been forced from their homes as three major wildfires burn in eastern Washington state.

What is happening

Crews are still fighting three major wildfires around Spokane in eastern Washington, WORLD News Group reports. More than 850 homes and other structures have already burned. Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation orders — the most urgent category, meaning leave immediately — remain in place in northwest Spokane.

One resident described police driving through neighbourhoods with megaphones telling people to leave at once. Her family of eight left their home in north Spokane; as they drove away, she watched the first house catch fire through the car window. Most of the neighbourhood later burned.

What the evacuation levels mean

In the American west, wildfire evacuations are usually graded in three steps. Level 1 means be ready. Level 2 means be set — pack, and be prepared to leave at short notice. Level 3 means go now, without stopping to gather belongings. The system exists because fire can move faster than traffic.

The human side

Behind the numbers are tens of thousands of people staying with relatives, in shelters or in hotels, many not yet knowing whether their house is standing. Rebuilding after a major fire typically takes years, and insurance disputes often outlast the smoke.

Source: WORLD News Group, August 7, 2026.