Washington, Aug. 3 (SANA) Authorities in the U.S. state of Washington ordered about 60,000 residents to evacuate as multiple wildfires spread across the state, threatening communities around the city of Spokane.
Reuters quoted Spokane Fire Chief Tom Williams as saying the Spokane Area Fire, a complex of three separate wildfires, was threatening neighborhoods covered by mandatory evacuation orders.
A federal incident management team said the fires had burned approximately 5,390 acres as of Sunday. Officials reported no deaths or injuries.
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown described the wildfires as “the worst natural disaster our region has ever faced.”
Heather Rosentrater, chief executive of utility company Avista, said about 10,000 customers lost electricity by Sunday afternoon.
Washington state officials said more than 250,000 acres were burning statewide. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency and said he had requested federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after speaking with U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday.
R.D/ABD
Washington wildfires force evacuation of 60,000 residents
