Massive Wildfires Ravage Washington, Hundreds of Homes Destroyed

Massive wildfires continue to rage across eastern Washington, forcing the evacuation of nearly 60,000 residents and destroying at least 600 homes, businesses, and other structures, state officials said on Sunday.

The fires have scorched around 8.2 square miles in and around Spokane, Washington's second-largest city. Patients from a local Veterans Affairs hospital were among those evacuated as firefighters struggled to contain the blaze.

Officials warned that dry weather is expected to persist over the coming days, reducing the chances of quickly bringing the fires under control. Wildfires are also burning across parts of western Idaho and eastern Oregon, where crews have been battling the flames for a tenth consecutive day using helicopters and bulldozers. Authorities believe lightning sparked the fires.

The U.S. National Weather Service has issued air quality alerts for parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, along with wildfire and extreme heat warnings across several western states.