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Spokane wildfire rebuilding costs expected to top $1B, setting WA record

By
FOX 13 Seattle
Spokane
Published August 25, 2026 12:20 PM PDT
Published August 25, 2026 12:20 PM PDT
WA wildfire update for Tuesday, Aug. 25
WA wildfire update for Tuesday, Aug. 25

WA wildfire update for Tuesday, Aug. 25

Wildfires are forcing evacuations in Kittitas County and officials estimate it will cost $1 billion to rebuild after the devastating wildfires in Spokane. 

The Brief

    • Spokane County Assessor Tom Konis says rebuilding costs from three recent wildfires will exceed $1 billion, making it the most expensive fire damage in Washington history.
    • The Old Trails, Fairview and Autumn Lane fires scorched nearly 10,000 acres and destroyed about 900 structures, with precise loss estimates expected within six weeks.
    • President Donald Trump approved a FEMA disaster declaration providing federal relief to multiple Washington counties and tribes, while local officials noted property tax relief is available for impacted residents.

SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. - Rebuilding costs following a devastating trio of wildfires in the Spokane area are expected to exceed $1 billion, according to the Spokane County Assessor's Office.

The staggering financial toll would make the event the most expensive wildfire damage in Washington state history.

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TOPSHOT - A melted basketball backboard and hoop is seen among the burned remains of Riverside Real Life Church after it burned down during the Old Trails fire in Spokane, Washington on August 4, 2026. US authorities arrested a man on August 3, 2026 on suspicion of arson in connection with the biggest of three fires burning around the northwestern city of Spokane, as firefighters raced to contain flames that have displaced tens of thousands. Wildfires supercharged by drought and intense heat have torn through the city in Washington state, burning thousands of acres and reducing hundreds of buildings to cinders while anxious families await news on when they can return. (Photo by Josh Edelson / AFP via Getty Images)

By the numbers:

The Old Trails Fire, the Fairview Fire and the Autumn Lane Fire collectively scorched nearly 10,000 acres and destroyed roughly 900 structures, including hundreds of homes. 

Spokane County Assessor Tom Konis told The Spokesman-Review that a more precise estimate detailing total property and structural losses is expected within the next six weeks as damage assessments continue.

What they're saying:

In a press release posted on Aug. 5, Konis noted that property tax relief will be available to those whose property was damaged or destroyed, adding that his office is ready to assist residents as they take inventory of their losses.

"As residents return to their neighborhoods and take inventory of the partial damage or total loss of their homes, I want to make them aware that property tax relief will be available to them under Washington State law," Konis wrote. "The Assessor's Office is ready to be of assistance as our region begins the long process of recovery. Our staff will be doing damage assessments, as soon as it is safe to do so."

Big picture view:

Earlier in August, President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Washington, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate all federal disaster relief efforts for those impacted by wildfires.

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Chelan, Ferry, Okanogan, Spokane, Stevens and Yakima counties, along with the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and Spokane Tribe of Indians, will be impacted by the assistance.

The Source: Information in this story comes from the Spokane County Assessor's Office, Watch Duty and original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.

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