SPOKANE, Wash. — Families impacted by the recent Spokane-area fires have until the end of today to visit the Disaster Assistance Center at Shadle Park High School, which has served as a critical hub for recovery support since August 6.
The center, which provided insurance assistance, food, business clothing, and other essential services, must close as the school year approaches. However, Spokane County Emergency Management said it is working to relocate these resources to a new location to ensure families can continue accessing support.
In the meantime, Spokane County Emergency Management is asking everyone impacted by the fires to complete a damage assessment form through the Washington Emergency Management Division. While FEMA and state resources are already available for firefighters, this form can help unlock resources for people impacted by the fires.
“The reason we want them to check in with that, is we want them to be sure we get FEMA resources or state resources or whatever that may be,” said Simone Ramel, with Spokane County Emergency Management. “But if we don’t know how people were impacted, we can’t get them the resources they need.”
Wildfire devastation is not new to Eastern Washington. Sonya Sievers, who lost her home in the Gray Fire, has been sharing her experience with current fire survivors at the Disaster Assistance Center. Her advice for families who lost their homes is to give themselves time.
“That’s really what we need to do as a community remember,” Sievers said. “There is an outpouring of support right now which is phenomenal but in a month, two months, six months people are still going to need that support.”
For families who need immediate help, two websites can guide them through the recovery process:
spokanecommunityresources.org connects people with resources based on their specific needs. washington.postfire.org walks people through the immediate steps to take after a wildfire, providing guidance for those navigating recovery for the first time.
Many local organizations are also providing specialized assistance to fire-affected families:
Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington is offering help with legal, insurance, and claims questions. Spokane Realtors are offering rental assistance and financial help cover monthly mortgage payments.Partners Inland Northwest is providing free groceries, clothing, and diapers to families in need.The Salvation Army is providing food, water, and essential supplies to impacted families.
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