Why the Spokane wildfires became so catastrophic

Extreme fire conditions converged in suburban neighborhoods built into the forests, shrubland and grasslands and quickly spread.

By: Mojtaba Sadegh, Boise State University; United Nations University and John Abatzoglou, University of California, Merced, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: August 3, 2026

Words: 1,287

Last Updated: 1 week, 6 days ago

By Mojtaba Sadegh, Boise State University; United Nations University and John Abatzoglou, University of California, Merced

Three large wildfires raced through neighborhoods in and around Spokane, Washington, the weekend of Aug. 1, 2026, destroying at least 700 homes and other structures and threatening many more. Tens of thousands of people, including patients at a Veterans Affairs medical center, were forced to evacuate as the fires spread.

The origins of the fires were under …

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