Cooler temperatures forecasted in the Spokane, Wash. area could help firefighters in the region who are battling three major wildfires that have burned through more than 7,000 acres, destroyed some 600 homes and forced the evacuation of around 60,000 people.
The cause of the fires is unknown, but have been fueled by high winds and hot, dry weather. Local and out-of-state firefighters have been working to contain the blazes. There have been no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.
The fires are among dozens burning throughout the Western U.S.
Speaking to NPR's Morning Edition, Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said nearly half of the city's neighborhoods have either been evacuated or are at risk as the fire that has engulfed about 12 square miles has yet to be contained.
"A very large geography has been labeled Level 3, which means get out immediately," Brown told NPR Monday morning. "We've had fires before, but just not to this magnitude."
The Old Trails Fire, the largest that is burning northwest of Spokane, encompasses more than 3,600 acres, according to the state's Department of Natural Resources. The Autumn Lane Fire and the Fairview Fire were also threatening Spokane, Washington's second-largest city with a population of more than 230,000.
The cooler temperatures could help aid firefighters, but so far, they have not made much progress, Brown said. "I'm sorry to report that the winds have shifted and the fires are not contained up to this point."
Brown said few in the state are surprised by wildfires. "We have known for years of the dangers of the changing climate and have been working to reduce the risk. But this is an unprecedented situation and it's not over yet."
There is also no rain in the immediate forecast.
In some neighborhoods, videos showed black smoke billowing from neighborhoods where only brick chimneys remained later where houses once stood, according to the Associated Press.
Alicia Davidson and her husband lost their home in the fires. "Just to have everything gone and to know that, shoot, we have to completely start over – we have nothing. You know, all the things that could have been the home that we were building, growing in. It sucks," Davidson told Northwest News Network's Anna King.
Hundreds of people, including many elderly are staying at the Red Cross shelter in downtown Spokane. Nursing staff helped people change clothes behind blankets.
Speaking at a news conference Sunday including local, state and federal officials, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson said his office was working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to get disaster assistance.
"There are so many Washingtonians who have literally lost everything in a very, very short period of time," Ferguson said. "In just a matter of hours, their lives changed in deeply dramatic and fundamental ways.
At the same news conference, Sen. Maria Cantwell declared "We are not out of danger," adding that: "The next couple of days will be challenging."
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