Washington and Oregon Wildfires Burn 2.7 Million Acres

The Pacific Northwest is experiencing its worst wildfire season in more than three decades, with massive blazes in Washington and Oregon scorching roughly 2.7 million acres. More than 30,000 firefighters, including crews from Australia and New Zealand, are battling at least 90 active large fires, over half of the nation’s total.

In Spokane County, the Old Trails Fire has destroyed over 700 buildings and burned more than 10,000 acres. Smoke from the fires has driven air‑quality indices to unhealthy levels across both states, posing health risks for residents. Satellite imagery and maps are being used to track the spread of the flames and smoke plume.

The National Interagency Fire Center reports that the combined wildfires have already burned at least 5.6 million acres nationwide, surpassing last year’s total for the entire year.