SPOKANE, Wash. — With wildfire season in full swing, it can be difficult to make sense of why certain fires prompt certain evacuation levels. Firefighters want you to know they consider a variety of factors before issuing the evacuations that can help keep you and your family safe.
On Tuesday, Spokane Fire Department responded to multiple fires, believed to have been intentionally started, near the Copper River Apartments and Spokane Falls Community College.
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Fire officials bypassed the initial Level 1 and 2 warnings and issued immediate Level 3 (GO NOW) evacuations for the fires.
SFD said the fire’s location directly below the apartment buildings caused the primary safety concern.
“That fire was a challenge in the sense that we initially had three fires on the ground and they were spread out,” said Justin de Ruyter, Spokane Fire public information officer.
Firefighters were also worried about strong winds that could blow embers into neighboring homes and limited access routes.
“Another factor yesterday with that area and those apartments was that there is just one way out, and you have quite a bit of density in that little area,” de Ruyter said.
Personnel at Spokane Falls Community College also worked to ensure students and staff could safely evacuate the area.
“We had three different security [personnel] there, making sure everyone was getting out safely to their cars and able to leave,” SFCC Security Operations Supervisor Jovanna Dunbar said.
Fire crews successfully contained the blaze, and evacuations were lifted by 5:20 p.m., allowing those who had evacuated to return home.
De Ruyter said it’s important to be familiar with what the different evacuation levels mean and to stay alert, as they can change quickly.
“When that alert comes in and then you go into panic and your neighborhood is full of smoke, and you’re not sure exactly where the fire is, and everybody’s trying to leave, that’s you ‘behind the eight ball’ already,” de Ruyter said.
Fire officials said wildfire risk extends beyond rural areas, affecting communities throughout the region and requiring evacuation planning even in urban settings.
“Living in the middle of the city doesn’t guarantee you to be safe from wildfire anymore, so we have to recognize that,” de Ruyter said.
SFD recommends residents prepare emergency bags containing medications, passports and important documents. Officials also encourage signing up for Alert Spokane to receive timely evacuation notifications.
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