
Old Trails Fire jumps Spokane River, triggering mass evacuations in the city
A wind-driven Old Trails Fire jumped the Spokane River and spread into north Spokane, prompting new evacuation orders for thousands within the city and expanding protections around areas north of Francis Avenue and west of Division Street, including the South Indian Trail neighborhood. By 4:30 p.m. the fire had grown to about 2,500 acres with 35–45 mph gusts, prompting aircraft-led firefighting efforts and the evacuation of facilities like the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center as Riverside State Park and nearby homes faced threats amid a particularly dangerous fire-weather warning.