SPOKANE, Wash. — The City of Spokane will conduct its second annual wildfire evacuation drill this Saturday, targeting the Latah-Hangman and Eagle Ridge areas as officials work to prepare residents for potential wildfire emergencies.
The drill responds to community concerns about wildfire risks in prone areas. Residents involved in this year’s exercise have advocated for improved infrastructure to address ongoing development pressures.
Those who choose to participate will respond to an emergency alert on their phones notifying them the drill has begun. They will then practice the full evacuation process, including gathering emergency supplies, preparing children and pets, and driving out of their neighborhoods.
The exercise builds on last year’s pilot program in the Grandview/Thorpe neighborhood, where hundreds of residents participated in the voluntary drill. City officials expect even higher participation this year. The city reports a total of 237 cars were seen exiting the neighborhood during the exercise.
“The notifications will be sent out in phases based off how close residents are to that simulated wildfire,” said Sarah Nuss, Director of Emergency Management for the City of Spokane. “So people will not get the same notifications at the same time. The closer you are the more urgent than the folks who are a little further away saying get ready.”
The drill will test several new components this year. Spokane Fire Department crews will practice their ingress procedures, learning how to enter neighborhoods while evacuation traffic flows outward. The city will also test a new emergency alert system that launched earlier this month.
Both the Latah/Hangman and Grandview/Thorpe areas have pressed city officials for better infrastructure to keep pace with rapid residential development.
“This area has a lot of things on the docket down the road as far as development go, so being able to look at it now and understand our risks is a benefit,” Nuss said.
The city says the evacuation process is expected to take between one hour and 90 minutes.
The city plans to conduct similar drills annually, rotating between different at-risk neighborhoods throughout Spokane. Officials say early preparation and regular practice help communities respond more effectively when real emergencies strike.
You can sign up for the new Spokane County emergency alert system through this link. Participation in Saturday’s drill is completely voluntary.
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