August 1, 2026 : Spokane Complex Fire

According to official reports, the Spokane Complex Fire which included the Old Trails Fire, Autumn Lane Fire, and Fairview Fire was triggered by arson on August 1, 2026. The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning that day, and Washington State's first-ever "particularly dangerous situation" Red Flag Warning was in effect for Eastern Washington, including Spokane.

The fires rapidly spread due to sustained winds, high temperatures, and low humidity, burning over 10,363 acres in total and forcing the evacuation of about 65,000 people. The Old Trails Fire alone burned into neighborhoods in northwest Spokane, and all three fires were contained by August 19, 2026.

The primary reason the Spokane Complex Fire spread so quickly from house to house was that it transitioned from a vegetation fire into an urban conflagration, where wind-driven embers ignited structures faster than firefighters could stop the spread.

Strong winds gusting up to 45 mph carried burning embers more than one-half mile ahead of the main fire front. These embers landed on roofs, in gutters, on decks, in landscaping, and near vents, causing homes to ignite even when flames were not directly adjacent.

Spokane fire aftermath: Drone footage shows neighborhood in complete ruins after wildfire