The National Weather Service offices in Spokane and Pendleton have issued Red Flag Warnings across a broad swath of Eastern Washington and Northern Oregon, warning that critical fire weather conditions are creating extreme risk for rapid wildfire spread.

Spokane NWS Warning — Central and Eastern Washington

The National Weather Service in Spokane issued a Red Flag Warning covering a wide stretch of Central and Eastern Washington. The warning covers the Colville Reservation, Okanogan Valley, foothills of the Central Washington Cascades, Waterville Plateau, Western Columbia Basin, the Eastern Columbia Basin-Palouse-Spokane area, and the Lower Palouse-Snake River region.

Conditions driving the warning include:

  • Southwest winds of 10 to 20 mph, with gusts up to 30 mph
  • Relative humidity dropping to between 12% and 20%
  • Temperatures well above seasonal norms

Any new or ongoing fire can spread rapidly under these conditions, the NWS warned. Firefighting resources in the region are already stretched thin following a week of active fire suppression work.

Columbia Basin — Northern Oregon and Southern Washington

Dangerous fire weather has also affected the Columbia Basin straddling the Oregon-Washington border. Westerly winds of 10-20 mph with gusts reaching 25-35 mph — and up to 35-45 mph in the Kittitas Valley and Simcoe Highlands — combined with relative humidity dropping to as low as 10% created high fire danger across the region. A frontal passage is expected to bring some relief as daytime highs dip into the mid-70s through the weekend and a slight chance of showers increases late Thursday into Friday, though precipitation amounts are expected to be minimal.

What Comes Next

Winds are forecast to increase again through the weekend, with afternoon gusts reaching 25-35 mph Friday and Saturday before climbing to 45 mph by Sunday across much of the region. The combination of gusty winds, dry air masses, and critically dry fuels will continue to support rapid fire spread for any new ignitions. Officials urge extreme caution with any fire-starting activities and advise that all campfires and outdoor burning be avoided until conditions improve substantially.