Thousands evacuated in Spokane as fires grow, reporter recounts experience


Channel: KIRO 7 News
Uploaded by KIRO 7 News on 20260803
Categories: News & Politics
Tags: a:, autumn_lane, bradley, bradley_warren, cairo, cairo_7_news, eric, eric_thomas, fairview_fire, jake, jake_chapman, khq, local, news, north, north_spokane, northwest_spokane, pinpoint_weather_center, robert_van, robert_van_winkle, s:Local, shalan_hills_fire, spokane, t:KIRO - news, video, warren, washington, winkle
Spokane wildfires have destroyed more than 600 structures, including homes, and forced thousands of residents to evacuate. KHQ reporter Bradley Warren recounts his experience evacuating his home while reporting on the fires. Find the full story here: https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/widespread-destruction-ground-spokane/ZFB2GPAUO

Here is a detailed breakdown of the KIRO 7 News report regarding the wildfires in Spokane:

Introduction to the Crisis [00:19]: Anchor Eric Thomas reports on three major fires burning more than 8,000 acres in north and northwest Spokane [00:23]. These have been combined

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into a single fire complex known as the Spokane area fires [00:25].

Evacuations and Impact [00:31]: Evacuation orders are heavily concentrated in northwest Spokane near the Old Trails and Autumn Lane fires, as well as the Fairview Fire in North Spokane [00:38]. Official

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s report that over 10,000 homes have been affected and 60,000 people have been evacuated within city limits [00:45].

Extent of the Damage [00:53]: Cell phone footage highlights active burning and the charred remains of homes reduced to the ground [00:58]. Officials have

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classified the response as a top priority nationwide, with at least a dozen states sending support crews [01:10]. Fortunately, no injuries or deaths have been reported to 911 or crime check so far [01:22].

Reporter's Personal Account [01:41]: Reporter Jake Chapman shar

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es the perspective of local journalists covering the disaster [01:47]. Bradley Warren, a reporter at the sister station KHQ, had to evacuate his own home while actively covering the fires [01:47], grabbing essentials like his passport, computer, and birth certificate [0

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2:49].

Widespread Devastation and Warnings [02:25]: The Spokane area fires complex has destroyed over 600 structures, altering lives in dramatic ways [02:25]. While Warren's home survived, he remains unsure about the status of nearby family members [03:20] and strongly

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urges the public to take evacuation orders seriously [03:36] to avoid injury after witnessing multiple homes burn firsthand [03:40].

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6k_aA1emQs

Thousands evacuated in Spokane as fires grow, reporter recounts experience

KIRO 7 News · 68K

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Viewer Discussion & Comments

@NotThatBob
No deaths or injuries so far. This is amazing news! These fires are moving extremely fast and are out of control. Pray for pets and farm animals.
@SuperOlds88
I'm glad that guy cleared up the confusion and said the fire is real.
@jlvandat69
🙏 Good luck to all the people in the Spokane area.
@ItsMeDoingMyThing
Do this: On the back of every door in your house post a laminated page of “go now” items. The mementos… things that can’t be replaced. Even if you think you know what you would get in that moment of panic you will likely forget. Snap photos of every room because when you have to make an accounting of these items for insurance you’ll be able to look at the photos. You can also load those photo into AI and it will list all the items it sees.
@TLee-X19K
It's been at 600 structures for 18 hours...
@Porcupike
Many reported hardly any trees are burned.
@cinnamongirl5410
I feel awful for the people in Spokane, they don't deserve this. Lived there for a summer years ago, and they were some of the nicest people in the world that I've ever dealt with. I hope this fire can get managed into just a bad memory very soon so the people can start healing.
@maryailis
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
@hemaccabe4292
It’s like Hell is breaking through summoned by intense evil.
@Dahnoie
Hope my east side neighbors have relief soon. Can't believe how damp it's been the past few days on the west side. I do hope this rain makes it quickly to the east side to help.
@MelissaOyster
🙏🙏🙏
@MarioBianchi-c2m
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
@g-dcomplex1609
The Palisades fire, the Paradise fire, the maui fire, all looks like this one
@quill444
The federal government has significantly reduced the U.S. Forest Service workforce, funding, and local research operations in Eastern Washington as part of a sweeping national reorganization and budget reduction. Washington State has had a long-standing cultural and federal focus on putting out every fire quickly, which has allowed heavy dry brush, slash, and woody debris to accumulate. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources faced an effective multi-decade absence or major reduction in active, large-scale prescribed burning on public lands before attempting a restart in recent years. Most importantly, recent legislative budget cuts slashed state forest health funding (such as an 80% reduction for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife), threatening or reducing the staff required to safely execute thinning and controlled burns. And now, this. - j q t -
@Andrew-q2w4f
The beavers of Canada are going to sue America for not sweeping the forest and hurting Canadian beaver lungs this very unfair and mean of America to do that.😢