Thousands of residents in Spokane, in the north-western US state of Washington, have been ordered to evacuate as a fast-moving wildfire reached the city, prompting acting Governor Rob Ferguson to declare a state of emergency.
More than 80,900 hectares are burning across 12 major fire zones in the state. Washington is now enduring its fourth consecutive year of drought, the longest such stretch on record for the region.
Ferguson said the historic drought, combined with strong winds, had created dangerous conditions across the state. Under the emergency declaration, a strict ban on open fires and agricultural burning will remain in force until the end of September.
Authorities say 2026 is already shaping up to be one of the busiest wildfire seasons ever recorded, even though August has only just begun.
On Saturday afternoon, the fire crossed the Spokane River and spread into the city itself. Large parts of Spokane have been placed under the highest alert level, meaning residents must leave their homes immediately.
The evacuation orders mainly affect people living on the edge of the city. A shelter has been set up for displaced residents.
Washington state lies on the Pacific coast and borders Canada, which also suffered one of the worst wildfire seasons in its history in July. About three million hectares burned there, roughly equivalent to the size of Belgium.
