The Old Trails Fire started around noon, burning brush and grass in an open area, but quickly spread north and east toward residential areas. Cars lined the roads as people fled their homes, and orange and red flames were visible from the highway. “We urge residents of Spokane to heed evacuation orders and to stay alert to changing conditions and evacuations as they are rapidly changing,” James said. Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency Saturday after unusually high temperatures and high winds exacerbated record wildfires across the state. The National Weather Service issued a “particularly dangerous situation” red flag alert for eastern Washington.