By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- A wind-driven wildfire that ignited just after noon Tuesday in eastern Washington near Spokane grew to 225 acres and destroyed multiple homes while forcing approximately 1,500 residents to evacuate.
- The fire was 10 percent contained Wednesday morning as ground and aerial crews from Washington and Idaho responded, with firefighting officials concerned about increased winds forecast for Wednesday afternoon.
- Matthew Vinci, fire chief for Spokane County Fire District 9, confirmed that homes were engulfed in flames; officials were working to determine the final count of destroyed structures and full extent of damage.
- The incident represents part of a broader 2026 wildfire trend, with more than 32,000 fires burning over 3,900 square miles across the United States by mid-June, significantly above the 10-year average.
- Multiple regions across the country face critical fire danger conditions in coming weeks, including portions of California, the Southwest, Great Basin, and Rocky Mountain areas, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
SPOKANE, WASH. — A rapidly spreading wildfire fueled by shifting winds destroyed homes and forced the evacuation of approximately 1,500 residents in an eastern Washington neighborhood Tuesday, with fire officials warning of continued danger Wednesday afternoon.
The fire ignited just after noon Tuesday and quickly moved uphill before winds shifted, directing flames into a residential area, according to fire district spokesman Robert Gray. By early Wednesday, the blaze had consumed 225 acres, with crews achieving only 10 percent containment. Spokane County Fire District 9 Fire Chief Matthew Vinci confirmed that homes were engulfed in flames, though officials said they were still assessing the total number of destroyed structures.
Evacuation orders for the 1,500 residents remained in effect Wednesday as Spokane County Emergency Management Deputy Director Chandra Fox warned of increased wind concerns. “Our concern is for increased winds Wednesday afternoon,” Fox said, citing continued fire danger. Firefighting crews from both Washington state and Idaho mobilized to combat the blaze using ground and aerial resources, with air tankers dropping fire retardant on the advancing fire.
The Upriver Fire is one of thousands of fires burning across the United States this year. The National Interagency Fire Center reported that more than 32,000 fires have burned over 3,900 square miles across the country by mid-June, a significant increase from the 10-year average of approximately 24,000 fires burning about 2,200 square miles by early June. According to the fire center, weather and fuel models show increased fire danger across multiple regions in the coming weeks, with critical conditions forecast for portions of California, the Southwest, Great Basin, and Rocky Mountain areas.