KABUL (Pajhwok): Around 60,000 people have been ordered to evacuate as wildfires threaten Spokane in Washington state, local officials said.
The fires in the region have destroyed about 600 buildings, including homes and businesses, Reuters reported.
The Spokane Area Fire, which consists of three separate blazes, had burned 5,390 acres (2,180 hectares) by Sunday, according to a federal incident management team.
Spokane Fire Chief Tom Williams said the fires were still threatening areas under evacuation orders and had not been contained.
No deaths or injuries had been reported as of Sunday afternoon, officials said at a news conference.
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown described the fires as “the worst natural disaster our region has faced.”
About 10,000 electricity customers in the region were without power on Sunday afternoon, Avista Utilities CEO Heather Rosentrader said.
State officials said more than 250,000 acres (101,171 hectares) were burning across Washington state.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said he spoke with US President Donald Trump on Sunday and requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Ferguson has declared a statewide emergency as firefighters continue efforts to contain the wildfires.
sa
