The Lyons Ferry Fire, burning in Franklin and Garfield counties in southeastern Washington, has grown to an estimated 30,000 acres and is generating heavy smoke across eastern Washington, including hazardous air quality conditions in the Spokane metropolitan area. The fire is the largest currently burning in Washington state.

Fire Overview

The Lyons Ferry Fire ignited amid the dry lightning outbreak that swept across Washington and Oregon between July 14–16, 2026. The fire is burning in the rugged terrain near the confluence of the Snake and Palouse rivers — a landscape of dry grass, steep coulees, and scattered shrub-steppe that provides ideal conditions for rapid fire spread under windy, low-humidity weather.

Firefighting operations are ongoing, with air tankers, helicopters, and ground crews deployed to the incident. Due to rapidly evolving conditions and large acreage, officials caution that acreage estimates may not be fully accurate as mapping operations continue.

Additional Washington Fires

The Lyons Ferry Fire is the largest but not the only significant fire burning in Washington. Other notable active incidents include:

  • Royal Lake Fire: Approximately 12,000 acres
  • Kaiser Canyon Fire: Approximately 2,200 acres
  • Neff Jones Fire, Chelan Hills Fire, and B and O Fire: All contributing to smoke conditions across eastern Washington

NIFC's daily fire report lists four large fires in Washington as of July 17, making the state one of the most active in the nation.

Evacuation and Emergency Response

Emergency managers in Franklin and Garfield counties have issued evacuation orders for areas threatened by the Lyons Ferry Fire. Residents in affected zones should monitor the Franklin County Emergency Management office and the Washington Emergency Management Division for the latest zone updates.

Washington Governor's Office and the Washington Department of Natural Resources have been coordinating state and federal resources to address the multi-fire outbreak. The DNR Wildfire Intel Dashboard is being updated in near-real time as conditions change.

Smoke Pouring Into Spokane

Smoke from the Lyons Ferry Fire has been the primary driver of severe air quality degradation across the Spokane area. By Friday morning, July 17, the Liberty Lake monitoring station in the Spokane metro recorded Air Quality Index values in the hazardous range. Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency has indicated that unhealthy to hazardous conditions are expected to continue through at least Saturday morning, with some improvement possible Saturday afternoon depending on wind shifts.

Air Quality Alerts have been issued for Spokane, Adams, Whitman, and Lincoln counties through the weekend. Residents are urged to stay indoors, use air purifiers with HEPA filters, and avoid strenuous outdoor activity.