Spokane wildfire forces thousands evacuating destroys homes

A fast-moving wildfire that erupted northeast of Spokane, Washington, on Tuesday has forced thousands of residents to evacuate, destroyed multiple homes, and prompted a major firefighting response. Authorities have confirmed the discovery of what appear to be human remains at a burned property, while one person is reported missing.

The blaze, named the Upriver Fire, ignited shortly after noon on Tuesday near Upriver Drive and Camp Sekani. Fueled by strong winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation, it grew rapidly from a single acre to hundreds of acres within hours, spreading uphill and into residential neighborhoods. Evacuation orders were issued for areas between Bigelow Canyon Road, Upriver Drive, Northwood, and Argonne Road.

Officials have provided varying figures on the scale of the evacuation, with estimates ranging from approximately 1,500 residents to nearly 12,000 people. Multiple sources confirm that at least 15 homes have been destroyed. During a press conference on Wednesday, Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels stated that a family member had reported one person missing, but hazardous conditions had prevented crews from searching the specific location. Separately, the...