SPOKANE, Wash – Fire crews have issued level three (go now) evacuation orders for people living near a wildfire just east of the city limits of Spokane.
The fire started around 12:30 Tuesday afternoon near Upriver Drive, across the river from Felts Field.
Throughout the afternoon, winds carried the fire through the trees, drastically widening the evacuation area.
Just after 3:00, the level two evacuation zone expanded north of Bigelow Gulch and east of Argonne. That stretches from Espe on the west to Lehman on the east.
People in that area should standby and be ready to evacuate.
The level three evacuation zone stretches from Thierman on the west to Argonne on the east, Bigelow Gulch on the north to Upriver on the south.
The Red Cross has set up an evacuation center at the Spokane Valley Methodist Church. That’s at 115 N. Raymond.
Spokane Fire District 9 says if you don’t live in the area, don’t come near the fire or the boundaries.
A state fire management team will be taking over soon and will arrive sometime Tuesday evening.
The fire district says every local agency has fire crews on the scene.
This fire is impacting families in the West Valley School District. Bus routes for students at Centennial Middle School and Pasadena Park Elementary School run through the evacuation zone.
Some bus routes had to be diverted. Parents can come pick up their kids at Pasadena Park Elementary School if they’re able to get there safely.
Students who can’t get a ride right away and who are in the evacuation zone will be able to stay at Pasadena Park Elementary until their parents can pick them up.
This is a three-alarm fire, meaning departments from all over the area are responding to help.
A helicopter is scooping water from the Spokane River.
The region is under a red flag warning due to high winds and low humidity.
This is a developing story and will be updated as we get more information.
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