SPOKANE, Wash. — Homeowners in Spokane’s Westgate neighborhood came face to face with the firefighters they credit with saving their homes during an emotional community gathering Thursday evening.
The residents organized a block party as a way to express gratitude to members of Spokane Fire District 8, who worked tirelessly during last week’s fires to protect as many homes as possible in the neighborhood.
For many residents, the past month has been a difficult journey. Families were evacuated as fires swept through the area, leaving them uncertain about whether their homes would survive. Some residents searched desperately for news footage or photos that might show their properties still standing.
Thomas Clouse, an evacuee, recalled the moment he learned his home had survived. “Monday morning, I finally made it back and I ran into Bob who lives in the house right here,” Clouse said. “I said, ‘How did our homes survive?’ and he said ‘my wife saw a video on the BBC of a firefighter hosing down my house’ and I said, ‘Well Bob, I’m going to find that firefighter.'”
That firefighter was Captain Todd Wood of Spokane Fire District 8. Wood was among the crew members who fought the fires in the Westgate neighborhood, and his efforts to protect homes did not go unnoticed by residents.
At Thursday’s block party, the emotional reunion between residents and firefighters highlighted the impact of the crews’ work. Neighbors hugged, laughed, and thanked the firefighters for their efforts during the crisis.
Captain Wood reflected on the bittersweet nature of the evening. “Coming back here today is bittersweet,” Wood said. “There is a lot that we saved, but what is remarkable is seeing this neighborhood—whether they lost their house or their house is still here—it didn’t break their spirit.”
The fires have left visible scars on the Westgate neighborhood. Many homes were destroyed, and residents are only now being allowed to return and assess the full extent of the damage. Yet despite these losses, the community has remained unified.
Suzanne Jespersen, whose house was destroyed in the fires, spoke to the complex emotions residents are experiencing. “You are sad because you lost stuff, but you are so happy that no life was lost—not one,” Jespersen said.
Clouse emphasized the importance of the firefighters’ work and the gratitude residents feel toward them. “They suffered a lot of losses that night,” Clouse said. “It was very hard on them to lose this many homes, and many of them expressed a thankfulness to see what they had saved, to talk to those people, to see those little memories that remain.”
As more residents return to the Westgate neighborhood, they describe their feelings as a mix of gratitude and devastation. The fires destroyed significant portions of the community, but they also revealed the strength of neighborhood bonds.
“If any of us need another person’s help, we are there,” Jespersen said. “We’re always there. It’s kind of like a family.”
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