Washington wildfires scorch over 2,50,000 acres of land; trigger mass evacuations

Thousands of firefighters battled multiple wildfires across Washington state on Saturday. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and imposed a burn ban. The fast-moving Old Trails Fire in Spokane threatened thousands of structures and forced evacuations. Power utility Avista implemented safety shutoffs, leaving many customers without electricity. Officials confirmed some structures were destroyed as the extent of damage was assessed.