A Spokane Valley Fire Department handout photo shows the Fairview Fire northeast of Spokane, Washington, as wildfires destroy homes and buildings. It is a vicious loop, with increased wildfires releasing massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, accelerating planetary warming. The head of Washington’s department of natural resources, David Upthegrove, said the fires in Spokane were among 16 major blazes burning throughout the state of Washington, covering 262,000 acres. The biggest of the three fires burning in Spokane, the Old Trails fire, jumped the Spokane River on Saturday afternoon and crossed into the city proper. “There were probably hundreds and hundreds of cars,” she told AFP.