The Fire This Time · Episode 1 of 8 · 18 min
The Night a Wildfire Jumped the River Into Spokane
On August 1, 2026, the National Weather Service issued its first-ever Particularly Dangerous Situation red flag warning for eastern Washington. Hours later the Old Trails Fire jumped the Spokane River and burned into the city, forcing Level 3 evacuations for thousands and a statewide emergency. The forecast called the night with striking precision, and the series asks how the country came to burn like this.
Who's who
- Bob FergusonWashington governor who declared a statewide emergency
- Dave UpthegroveWashington Commissioner of Public Lands who requested National Guard activation
- Gent WelshAdjutant General of the Washington National Guard
Where it happens
- Spokane, Washington+3 more episodesCity the Old Trails Fire burned into
- Spokane River, WashingtonRiver the fire jumped
- Indian Trail, SpokaneWildland-urban interface neighborhood hit by the fire
- Five Mile Prairie, SpokaneNeighborhood pushed into after the river crossing
- Airway Heights, WashingtonFire ignited just north of here
- Riverside State Park, WashingtonPlaced under evacuation along the river
Timeline
- August 1, 2026NWS issues eastern Washington's first Particularly Dangerous Situation red flag warning
- August 1, 2026Old Trails Fire ignites around noon near Old Trails Road
- August 1, 2026Fire grows to about 300 acres within an hour
- August 1, 2026Fire crosses the Spokane River into northwest Spokane
- August 1, 2026Governor declares statewide emergency; National Guard activated
Still debated
Acreage figures were rapid field estimates, and the human-caused fire's specific cause was still under investigation. Structure losses, casualties and evacuee counts were not yet established.