“Old Trails” Wildfire Ravages Eastern Washington, Avista Cuts Power to 60,000 as State of Emergency Declared

A fast-moving wildfire dubbed the “Old Trails Fire” tore through the Spokane area in eastern Washington over the weekend, forcing the evacuation of approximately 60,000 residents, destroying hundreds of structures, and prompting utility company Avista to cut power to 60,000 customers as extreme fire weather conditions gripped the region.

The wildfire was one of more than a dozen large blazes burning across Washington state, which together had scorched over 250,000 acres as of Sunday evening. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide state of emergency on Saturday morning, citing drought conditions, unusually high temperatures, and high winds that were exacerbating the record-setting wildfires. The declaration includes a statewide prohibition on most outdoor and agricultural burning through September 30, 2026.

Avista Implements Public Safety Power Shutoffs as Fire Risk Soars

Due to forecast high-fire-risk weather conditions, including a Red Flag Warning, Avista began turning off power in select areas around 1 p.m. Saturday, August 1. The Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) affected parts of north Spokane, the Indian Trail/Five Mile area, the Nine Mile Falls area, Mead, the South Hill, the Ford/Tumtum area, West Clarkston/Dry Creek, and the Kamiah area.

“Public Safety Power Shutoffs are intended to reduce wildfire risk and protect customers and communities,” Avista stated in its announcement. “Avista understands that being without power is difficult and does not make this decision lightly”. The company noted that power would remain off until weather conditions improved and it was safe for crews to inspect affected power lines and equipment before restoring service.

Wildfire Damage Continues to Impact Customers

While Avista restored service to customers affected solely by the PSPS, active wildfire conditions and significant fire-related damage continued to affect electric and natural gas service for customers in parts of the Spokane area. According to Avista CEO Heather Rosentrater, thousands of customers remained without power as of Sunday.

“We know this has been an incredibly difficult and heartbreaking weekend for many members of our community,” Rosentrater said. “Many families, which include a number of Avista employees, have been forced from their homes. Neighborhoods have been impacted by these devastating fires, and thousands of customers are facing ongoing uncertainty”.

The company also identified significant damage to transmission infrastructure, particularly in West Spokane, where multiple transmission lines sustained damage from wildfire activity. The damaged transmission system is currently operating with reduced capacity, and customers may experience periodic power outages in the coming days as crews evaluate damage and make necessary repairs.

In addition to electric system impacts, approximately 5,300 natural gas customers were without service due to wildfire-related damage, access restrictions, and safety considerations in affected areas.

Over 600 Structures Destroyed, Thousands Evacuated

The Spokane Complex Fire, comprising the Old Trails, Fairview, and Autumn Lane fires, had burned more than 7,700 acres and remained 0% contained as of Sunday. Officials estimated that at least 600 homes, businesses, and other structures had been destroyed. Approximately 4,000 structures remained under threat.

Large areas of Spokane and Spokane County were placed under Level 3 evacuation orders, requiring residents to leave immediately. An emergency shelter was opened at the Spokane Convention Center. The fires also prompted the evacuation of patients from the Mann-Grandstaff Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and disrupted operations at several public facilities.

Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown described the situation as “really the worst natural disaster our region has faced”. Washington National Guard Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh called the situation “a tragedy,” adding: “When the sun rises, we are going to be in shock to see the scenes that come out of there”.

Firefighting Efforts Underway

Approximately 4,000 firefighters were battling more than a dozen fires throughout the state. In addition to the National Guard, firefighters from more than a dozen states were helping. Governor Ferguson also requested federal emergency assistance. The National Weather Service had issued a rare “Particularly Dangerous Situation” Red Flag Warning, rating the weather risk as “extreme” across Eastern Washington.

A Summer of Record Wildfires

The fires in Spokane were among a total number of 16 large, uncontained wildfires burning in Washington state as of Monday morning. For the summer so far, approximately 450,000 acres had burned in Washington state. Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove noted: “This is not normal. … Throughout the state of Washington we’re seeing fires raging”.

Preparing for the Worst

As wildfires become more frequent and intense across the western United States, having a reliable backup power source is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity. Explore Kingboss backup power solutions to keep your essential appliances and medical devices running when the grid goes down.

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Sources:

1. Reuters - Fires on more than 250,000 acres of Washington state prompt evacuations - https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/fires-more-than-250000-acres-washington-state-prompt-evacuations-2026-08-02/
2. BBC - Washington state wildfires cause 60,000 people to evacuate homes - https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3046g80yj7o
3. Avista Corporation - Avista to implement Public Safety Power Shutoffs in select areas amid elevated fire risk - https://investor.avistacorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/avista-implement-public-safety-power-shutoffs-select-areas-amid
4. Avista Corporation - Wildfire damage continues to impact Avista customers - https://investor.avistacorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/wildfire-damage-continues-impact-avista-customers
5. Khaleej Times - 200 homes evacuated, 60,000 without power in east Washington as wildfires engulf US state - https://www.khaleejtimes.com/world/americas/washington-wildfires-thousands-evacuated-without-power
6. Governor of Washington - Governor Ferguson declares statewide wildfire emergency, issues statewide burn ban - https://governor.wa.gov/news/2026/governor-ferguson-declares-statewide-wildfire-emergency-issues-statewide-burn-ban
7. Anadolu Agency - Washington state wildfires destroy over 600 structures, force mass evacuations - https://mobil.aa.com.tr/en/americas/washington-state-wildfires-destroy-over-600-structures-force-mass-evacuations/4017099
8. Xinhua - About 60,000 people ordered to evacuate as wildfires threaten US Spokane area - https://peoplesdaily.pdnews.cn/world/er/30052833104