Wildfires have swept through Spokane County, Washington, forcing the evacuation of approximately 5,000 homes amid dry and windy conditions that fueled multiple aggressive blazes.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency, and the National Guard was deployed to support local firefighting efforts. Fire scientist Joaquin Ramirez highlighted the major weather conditions contributing to critical fire dangers across the Northwest.

The American Red Cross Northwest Region reported that over 400 people and their pets spent Saturday night at an emergency shelter in Spokane following the fast-moving wildfires. The organization has launched a massive relief effort, seeking donations and volunteers to assist displaced residents.

Spokane County Commissioner Mary Brooks expressed sympathy for those affected and gratitude for first responders working through the night.

Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate and reality personality Spencer Pratt, whose Pacific Palisades home was destroyed in the 2025 Palisades Fire, urged Americans to prepare proactively. Drawing on his own experience, Pratt warned, "Don't expect the fire to wait until you're at home and awake and ready... think about what happens when the fire comes at 2AM dead asleep, or when you're at work downtown, or 3 beers in on a river float 20 miles from home and your cats are all locked inside."

He added bluntly, "Don't wait til the fire is at your patio door. Have a plan. Don't expect government to be there to save your home. And everyone else, take heed... this is coming for you, too."

Pratt expressed his deepest sympathies to those in Spokane who lost everything, acknowledging that "nothing can really prepare you for this devastation."

Sources