Betsy Robertson, a communications director for the Red Cross, recounted the chaos in Spokane as hundreds of evacuees filled the city’s convention center. ‘The scale of homes destroyed and lives changed forever—this is a new level,’ she said.

Historically dry winters, extreme droughts and heatwaves are setting the stage for increasing wildfire seasons. With Washington facing its most destructive season on record, over 700 buildings have been destroyed in just three fires, while Oregon has already broken its annual record for acreage burned.

The science is clear: a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, causing intense but infrequent rains and prolonged droughts, making forests and grasslands prime for ignition. The lack of snowfall this year further dried out landscapes, with Spokane receiving only half its usual snowfall.

With high winds forecasted for the weekend, the situation is dire. ‘These are neighborhoods with thousands of people and only two ways in or out,’ said Kitty Klitzke, a member of the Spokane City Council. The urban setting exacerbates smoke toxicity, as seen with the 2025 Los Angeles fires which exposed millions to cancer-causing toxins.

The wildland-urban interface is growing faster than any other land development in the US. Homes built here are more likely to ignite during wildfires due to their close proximity to natural areas. As climate change intensifies, these scenarios will become all too familiar unless serious action is taken.