Washington state declares emergency as wildfires rage

Authorities in the US state of Washington have declared a state of emergency as a devastating wildfire spreads rapidly, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate, particularly in and around the northwestern city of Spokane.

According to Anadolu Agency, Acting Governor Rob Ferguson declared the emergency as the situation worsened.

Officials said 12 major fire zones across the state have seen over 80,900 hectares of forest and land burned. A prolonged drought, now in its fourth consecutive year, has made the state more vulnerable, with Washington experiencing one of its longest dry spells on record.

Acting Governor Rob Ferguson said the combination of persistent drought and strong winds had created extremely dangerous conditions across the state. A strict ban on open fires and agricultural burning has been imposed until the end of September.

The situation escalated on Saturday (August 1) afternoon when the fire crossed the Spokane River and entered the city, prompting authorities to place large parts of the city under the highest alert and order residents to evacuate immediately.

Suburban residents have been the most affected by the evacuation orders. Emergency shelters have been set up for those displaced.

Officials warned that August is shaping up to be one of the worst wildfire seasons in recent US history.

Washington, on the Pacific coast and bordering Canada, is not alone. Neighbouring Canada is also battling devastating fires, with nearly 3 million hectares of forest destroyed in July alone — an area roughly the size of Belgium.