A rare fire weather setup this weekend could fuel explosive wildfire growth across the Pacific Northwest after nearly two million acres have already burned. FOX Weather Meteorologists Michael Estime and Haley Meier break down the latest.
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON – A historic wildfire season is already gripping the Pacific Northwest, where nearly two million acres have burned.
Now, conditions could deteriorate rapidly in the days ahead as powerful winds threaten explosive fire growth, prompting warnings of a “particularly dangerous” stretch of fire weather.
A fire in Spokane, Washington — called the Old Trails Fire — has exploded in size, and it appears the blaze is making its way toward the outskirts of the city.
Evacuations are in place, and people in the area are being advised to leave the area immediately.
A State of Emergency has been declared in Spokane County, Washington, due to the dangerous situation currently unfolding.
NORTHWEST WILDFIRE SEASON SURPASSES 1 MILLION ACRES BURNED AS MAJOR FIRES CONTINUE TO SPREAD
More than 1.9 million acres have burned across the Pacific Northwest this wildfire season, as dozens of large fires continue to scorch Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.
(Rowe Creek Wildfire)
July has been an explosive month across the Pacific Northwest, with massive wildfires scorching the region. While the area continues to grapple with active fires, conditions are expected to become even more dangerous as a dry cold front ushers in powerful winds capable of driving rapid, explosive fire growth.
Old Trails Fire in Spokane, Washington.
(FOX Weather)
The Old Trails Fire had already scorched over 2,300 acres as of 9:30 p.m. Saturday. The blaze is impeding on structures, and it’s unknown if there are any injuries at this time.
LIGHTNING-SPARKED WILDFIRES SCORCH THE NORTHWEST
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, more than 50 large wildfires, each exceeding 100 acres, are actively burning across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Together, they have scorched more than 1.9 million acres, with Oregon alone accounting for 30 of those fires.
Thousands of firefighters and support personnel have been deployed to battle the blazes, placing a significant strain on the nation’s wildfire suppression resources.
Saturday Fire Weather Outlook.
(FOX Weather)
Across the U.S., 44,004 wildfires have ignited so far this year, scorching more than 4.8 million acres. Both totals run well above the 10-year-to-date averages of 34,340 fires and 3.63 million acres burned, marking the most active wildfire season at this point in the year since 2022.
SURVIVAL EXPERT OFFERS TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR HOME FROM WILDFIRES
Across the Pacific Northwest and beyond, wildfire smoke is degrading air quality, with Air Quality Alerts in effect for parts of the region through Monday.
As long as the fires continue to burn, and especially if they grow, more smoke will be generated, allowing poor air quality to persist or worsen.
Air Quality Alerts.
(FOX Weather)
Rather than bringing much-needed rain, the dry cold front will usher in powerful winds and sharply lower relative humidity, creating an environment that opens the door for rapid wildfire growth.
WHY DRY THUNDERSTORMS POSE WILDFIRE RISKS
Fire Weather Watches have been issued all across the Northwest in advance of what could be dangerous fire days on Saturday and Sunday.
The Rowe Creek Complex is a lightning-caused wildfire complex that ignited on July 15 near Fossil in north-central Oregon. Multiple fires—including the Crosswhite, Brewer and Green Mountain fires—merged into a sprawling complex that has grown to more than 304,000 acres, making it one of the nation’s largest active wildfires.
(Rowe Creek Wildfire)
The most dangerous conditions are expected across the Columbia Basin and portions of central and eastern Washington into north-central Oregon, where dry downslope flow off the Cascades is forecast to drive relative humidity as low as 15% to 20% while sustained winds increase to 20 to 30 mph, with gusts exceeding 45 mph.
The volatile combination has prompted the Storm Prediction Center to issue its highest fire weather outlook: Extreme risk.
Fire Weather Warnings.
(FOX Weather)
To emphasize the seriousness of the forecast, the National Weather Service has issued a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Fire Weather Warning, a rare alert reserved for the most extreme fire weather conditions, when rapid wildfire growth and spread are expected.
SEE IT: WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS LEAP FROM 3,000 FEET IN THE AIR TO COMBAT THE SPREAD OF WILDFIRES
According to the FOX Forecast Center, new fires will grow rapidly and get out of control. Residents in warned areas should be prepared to evacuate if a wildfire breaks out.
More than 21,000 firefighters and support personnel have been deployed nationwide to battle dozens of large wildfires, with the Pacific Northwest accounting for the largest share of those resources as historic fires continue to burn across Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.
(Rowe Creek Wildfire)
The fires already burning in the region are also vulnerable to spreading rapidly and growing out of control under these heightened conditions.
While Idaho, Montana and Wyoming are not tagged with extreme dangerous fire conditions, they will see 25 to 30 mph wind gusts and relative humidity percentages in the 20s and teens.
WHAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR EVACUATION ‘GO’ BAG DURING WILDFIRE SEASON
Unfortunately, Sunday will be more of the same for the Northwest.
Dozens of wildfires are scorching Oregon and much of the Northwest, keeping firefighters on the front lines for another grueling stretch. Crews have spent the past week and a half battling numerous blazes, working around the clock to protect communities, homes and critical infrastructure.
Dangerous fire conditions will again be present with the worst overlap of strong winds and dry air expected to be in central Montana, eastern Idaho and western Wyoming.
HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER
There are currently more than 40 large fires burning in the region, but by Monday, that number could be much higher.
The National Weather Service said people in the area should be ready to evacuate if wildfires break out.
