Homes Evacuated As Wildfire Near Downtown Spokane

SPOKANE - About 500 firefighters today tried to fully contain a wildfire in Riverside State Park that grew to 300 acres and closed in on hundreds of homes before crews were able to stop it from spreading.

Homes, a convalescent center and a campground were evacuated yesterday as the fire leaped the Spokane River and burned eastward from Riverside State Park about five miles west of downtown. Residents were allowed to return after about three hours.

The blaze spread quickly yesterday afternoon in a forested area about five miles northwest of downtown as winds gusted to 25 mph and temperatures reached 90 degrees. Smoke covered the northwest section of the city.

Firefighters hoped for better conditions today.

"The winds have died down, and we're hoping to get a lot of crews in there to beat it down," said Steve Jennison, a state Department of Natural Resources spokesman.

A section of the fire on the east side of the Spokane River was about 50 percent contained early today, while a portion west of the river was 80 percent contained, Jennison said. About 500 firefighters were battling the fire, including many who were called from other parts of the state.

There were no reports of injuries or damage to homes. The only structure destroyed by the fire was an indoor shooting range at the Spokane Rifle Club on the east side of the river, Jennison said.