A Virgin Mary statue remains untouched in front of a burned out residential home in the Balboa neighborhood of Spokane, Washington, on August 2, 2026. Photo: AFP
Firefighters worked to contain huge blazes in the northwestern US city of Spokane early Monday after officials reported hundreds of structures had been reduced to cinders.
Thousands of people were ordered to evacuate their homes over the weekend as three separate fires broke out in and around the city in the east of Washington state.
The National Weather Service (NWS) had warned of “extremely critical fire weather conditions” in the area due to strong winds and exceptional dryness.
Video of the aftermath on Sunday showed scores of homes burned to the ground, with only their brick fireplaces and foundations remaining, while other houses nearby escaped practically unscathed.
