Firefighters are working 16-hour shifts as they battle the Spokane Complex Fire
Over 1,500 firefighters are battling the Spokane Complex Fire in Washington, which has destroyed nearly 850 structures. Officials report that while progress is being made, extreme heat and dry conditions pose a significant threat to containment efforts.
Why it matters
This fire is considered one of the most destructive in Washington state history, highlighting the increasing severity of wildfire seasons in the Pacific Northwest.
SPOKANE, Wash. — Hundreds of firefighters are working long shifts to slow the Spokane Complex Fire ahead of hotter and drier conditions this weekend. More than 1,500 firefighters from two dozen states are battling the conflagration, which has damaged or destroyed nearly 850 structures since it ignited Saturday. Temperatures were expected to climb from the 80s the last two days into the upper 90s later this week with no rain on the horizon. Still, “tremendous progress” has been made, said Tom Stokesberry, spokesman for the California Interagency Incident Management Team that is coordinating the multiagency response. The fire has grown by only 2 acres since Monday, and fire lines are being established on the three fires that make up the Spokane Complex. About 67,000 people have been displaced, officials said, adding that the number could climb. No deaths have been reported.
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