Firefighters worked to contain huge blazes in the US city of Spokane in the east of Washington state early yesterday after officials reported hundreds of structures had been reduced to cinders. About 60,000 people within Spokane’s city limits have been evacuated under the authorities’ highest-level alert, “Go Now,” police chief Kevin Hall said. The National Weather Service (NWS) had warned of “extremely critical fire weather conditions” in the area due to strong winds and exceptional dryness. Mayor Lisa Brown told a press briefing: “Hundreds of homes and structures have been lost. Smoke accumulating over the city would likely render air quality “very unhealthy” yesterday, the regional clear air agency said.