WorldSome residents returned to devastated neighbourhoods in eastern Washington state to find their homes leveled by wildfires that erupted across a parched landscape over the weekend, covering yards in charred debris. In some cases, only chimneys were left standing.'It's like a war zone ... there's nothing to save,' says Spokane residentThe Associated Press · Posted: Aug 03, 2026 5:35 PM EDT | Last Updated: 25 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.A resident carries a statuette retrieved from the debris of their home that was destroyed by a wildfire in Spokane, Wash., on Monday. (David Ryder/Reuters)Some residents returned to devastated neighbourhoods in eastern Washington state to find their homes levelled by wildfires that swept across a parched landscape over the weekend, leaving yards covered in charred debris. In some cases, only chimneys remained standing.The fires in and around Spokane, the state's second-largest city, had burned about about 32 square kilometres by Monday and filled the sky with smoke and haze. Light winds and cooler temperatures helped firefighters, but about 700 buildings had been destroyed and some 67,000 people were under evacuation orders.In one Spokane neighbourhood, blackened vehicles, a boat twisted by the heat and melted plastic recycling bins remained. Across the street, lawns were still green and houses had been spared, as residents continued using hoses and sprinklers to water their properties.A sprinkler sprays water onto a destroyed home in Spokane on Monday. (David Ryder/Reuters)Among those who returned were Miriam and Daniel Sim, both 76. Miriam held a hand over her mouth as she surveyed the ruins of the home where they had lived since 2005."It's like a war zone," Miriam said. "There's nothing to save.""At our age, do we want to rebuild?" her husband asked.No deaths or major injuries reportedCpl. Mark Gregory, a spokesperson for the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, said the county initially received nearly 300 reports of missing people. By Monday, all but 14 had been cleared.Those outstanding reports more likely represented people who had not been in contact since evacuating rather than people who were missing or in danger, authorities said.The Spokane-area wildfires were completely uncontained, said Courtney James, a spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.Destructive wildfires prompt evacuations in Washington stateThey were among dozens burning across the western U.S., straining the ability of federal, state and local agencies to fight them. At least 1,000 square kilometres had burned across Washington.Authorities warned people not to fly drones near burned areas, saying they could delay aerial firefighting operations.'So much loss for so many people'Angela and Wayde Deatherage, both 49, evacuated shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday with a son, grabbing a few bins of family photos and heirloom rings but not much else. Roughly 30 minutes later, their security camera began sending fire alerts to Angela's phone.Wayde Deatherage took some back roads and returned by early evening. He stopped at the end of the street and called his wife: "Our house is done."WATCH | Are wildfires becoming worse?:Are wildfires becoming worse?July 27|Duration 5:34With wildfires dominating headlines across parts of the world, many may be wondering whether this is the new normal. The CBC's Dan Burritt spoke with author John Vaillant — who wrote the award-winning book, Fire Weather — about this year's wildfires worldwide.Deatherage, however, wasn't done with his neighbourhood. He propped a hose at another house so it sprayed the property. He called it simple prevention — and it worked. That home survived.The couple returned to their property Sunday."It's just ash," Angela Deatherage said of the home where they had lived for nearly 22 years. "It's like our house sunk down in the basement. ... There's just so much loss for so many people."A person sifts through the rubble of a destroyed home in Spokane on Monday. (David Ryder/Reuters)Friends and relatives of people affected by the fires posted online appeals for money, clothes and basic necessities. Kory and MacKensie Aspaas were away with their children when the disaster hit."They are coming back from being out of town to a life that's been completely wiped out," friend Kali Butler said.Officials said Sunday that the evacuees in Spokane included patients at its U.S. Veterans Affairs hospital. Investigators had yet to determine how the blazes started.Grassland burns in Idaho, Oregon and UtahSpokane was hardly the only place struggling to contain fires.Crews using bulldozers and helicopters continued for a 10th day to fight a fire that has burned nearly 1,360 square kilometres of grassland in western Idaho and eastern Oregon. The area is home to cattle ranches, and authorities said the fire is threatening more than 600 homes and 800 other structures.The weather in the area was expected to remain sunny and dry well into the week, with temperatures rising to more than 32 C on Wednesday. Officials say the fire was caused by lightning.Smoke can be seen throughout the PNW at around 5000 ft. <a href="https://x.com/OregonDEQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OregonDEQ</a> & the SW Clean Air Authority have issued Air Quality Advisories for counties in our forecast area. Be sure to visit their websites for more details on the smoke and what you can do to protect yourself. <a href="https://t.co/DhITrPGhgt">pic.twitter.com/DhITrPGhgt</a>—NWSPortlandIn central Utah, a massive blaze more than doubled in size over the weekend, reaching nearly 147 square kilometres by Monday morning. More than 100 cattle have been killed, according to law enforcement.Heavy winds helped flames jump containment lines.No major growth on wildfire near Vernon, B.C., but thousands remain forced from homesThe fire was moving north toward Fillmore, a town of about 2,600 people and the seat of Millard County. Mandatory evacuations were ordered Sunday evening for the town's southern portion.The National Weather Service issued warnings about the air quality across the northwest. It issued red flag fire warnings for parts of Utah and Montana and western Nebraska, and extreme heat warnings for the southern parts of Arizona, California and Nevada and northern Montana.Spokane sets up shelterIn Spokane, about 400 people were staying at the city's main convention centre, which was turned into a shelter, officials said.Spokane Public Schools opened a free emergency drop-in camp for children on Monday. Trials at the county court were pushed to Aug. 10.Several larger fires continued to burn in less populated areas northwest of Spokane.