The Spokane wildfires and the man charged with setting them

Active · last development Sep 28: “Gov. Bob Ferguson requests Major Disaster Declaration for Spokane wildfire devastation”

What this arc covers

The wildfires that forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate around Spokane, Washington, in August 2026: the firefighting, the federal emergency declaration, and the man charged with arson who told police he had planned the fire for weeks.

Photo from MyNorthwest, with Gov. Bob Ferguson requests Major Disaster Declaration for Spokane wildfire devastation (Sep 28), the story with the most independent sources this week.

Earliest story we hold Aug 2, 2026 · 6 stories · 95 independent sources (counted once each) · 57 days

Part ofSpokaneWashingtonArizonaDonald Trump

Part of Wildfires

  1. The January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires and the Palisades Fire arson caseJan 7, 2025 – Aug 14, 2026
  2. The 2026 European wildfires, from Spain and France to GreeceJul 2 – Aug 15, 2026
  3. The 2026 Indonesian wildfires and the haze over Southeast AsiaJul 18 – Sep 28, 2026
  4. The Spokane wildfires and the man charged with setting themThis arcAug 2 – Sep 28, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Sep 28– 29Gov. Bob Ferguson requests Major Disaster Declaration for Spokane wildfire devastation3 articles · 3 independent sources
0 left, 2 center, 1 right
Aug 6– 9Dangerous fire weather continues in the Northwest as crews work to contain Spokane blazes17 articles · 8 independent sources
0 left, 3 center, 0 right
Aug 4President Trump approves emergency declaration for Washington State amid Spokane Area Fires6 articles · 4 independent sources
1 left, 2 center, 0 right

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Jul 27Aug 10Aug 24Aug 31Sep 14Sep 28

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Jul 27, 2026511481
Aug 3, 2026264516448
Sep 28, 20260213

28% left · 53% center · 19% right of 95 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 6 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. August 2026

    Aug 2– 7Firefighters get a handle on Spokane wildfires as tens of thousands remain evacuated222 articles · 66 independent sources
    16 left, 26 center, 8 right
  2. Aug 2– 3How to donate to help victims of the Spokane Complex wildfires5 articles · 3 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right
  3. Aug 3– 7Man charged with arson in Spokane, Washington, told police he planned wildfire for weeks285 articles · 85 independent sources
    14 left, 31 center, 12 right
  4. Aug 4President Trump approves emergency declaration for Washington State amid Spokane Area Fires6 articles · 4 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right
  5. Aug 6– 9Dangerous fire weather continues in the Northwest as crews work to contain Spokane blazes17 articles · 8 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 0 right

  6. September 2026

    Sep 28– 29Gov. Bob Ferguson requests Major Disaster Declaration for Spokane wildfire devastation3 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 1 right