Here's how the wildfires in Spokane compare with the most destructive in US history
As the Spokane wildfires climb the rankings in terms of damage and acreage, here is a look at some of the most destructive fires in the U.S. over the years.
Charred aftermath in Spokane, Washington, after wildfires torch landscape
WILDFIRE UPDATE 🔥: FOX Weather Meteorologist Craig Herrera reports from Spokane, Washington, to share details on the wildfires burning across the Northwest, with over 2 million acres burned across multiple states.
SPOKANE, Wash. – Thousands of people in Spokane, Washington, have been plagued by historic flames this week, as the event steadily builds a case for some of the most damaging fires in recent state history.
Three major fires have burned through portions of Spokane, spreading over 10,500 acres and destroying more than 700 structures.
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As the destruction continues, here is a look at some of the most destructive fires in the U.S. over the years.
Most destructive Washington state fires
As the Spokane wildfires climb the rankings in terms of damage and acreage, it is time to review some of the worst events in the state's history.
Back in August 2023, the Gray and Oregon fires emerged, quickly burning thousands of acres and forcing many towns to evacuate.
A burned pickup truck sits in the driveway of a burned residential home with an untouched home in the background in the Balboa neighborhood of Spokane, Washington, on August 2, 2026. Fast-moving fires left a trail of destruction in the northwestern US city of Spokane on Sunday, with officials reporting hundreds of structures reduced to cinders. Thousands of people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday and overnight into Sunday, as three separate fires broke out in and around the city in the east of Washington state. (Erick DOXEY / AFP / Getty Images)
In total, both fires burned over 23,000 acres of dry forests, grasslands, shrub lands and residential areas amidst scorching heat and relentless winds.
Both fires destroyed a total of 710 structures, including 366 homes, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
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Most destructive modern wildfires on record in the US
The remainder of the country is not immune to the scorching effects of wildfires, as various locations could see wildfires under the right conditions.
The most destructive wildfire in American history occurred in November 2018 in Northern California, known as the Camp Fire, which burned over 153,000 acres, destroying around 18,000 structures and resulting in 88 deaths.
Flames and smoke from the Palisades Fire surround a home (C) in the community of Topanga, California, on January 9, 2025. (DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
In a close second place are the very recent Palisades and Eaton wildfires, which both burned over 37,400 acres in January 2025.
In total, both wildfires destroyed over 16,200 structures and left 31 people dead.
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SANTA ROSA, CA - OCTOBER 12: An overturned car sits in front of homes that were destroyed by the Tubbs Fire on October 12, 2017 in Santa Rosa, California. Twenty four people have died in wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres and destroyed over 3,500 homes and businesses in several Northern California counties. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
Coming in third place is the Tubbs Fire, which occurred across Napa and Sonoma counties in California, burning over 36,800 acres.
The wildfire destroyed over 5,600 structures throughout the region.
Other destructive wildfires in the US
The U.S. has an extensive history of wildfires, varying in severity but nonetheless leaving their mark, as the following events caused significant damage.
- Over 3,000 structures during the Almeda Drive Fire in Oregon in September 2020.
- 2,900 structures destroyed during the Oakland Hills (Tunnel) Fire in Oakland, California, in October 1991.
- 2,820 structures destroyed amid the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, California, in October 2003.
- Over 2,400 structures were destroyed during the Gatlinburg, Tennessee, fires in November 2016.
- 2,352 structures destroyed during the North Complex Fire, occurring near Lake Oroville, California, in December 2020.
- Over 2,200 structures were destroyed during the Lahaina Fire in Maui, Hawaii, in August 2023.
- Over 1,080 structures were destroyed amid the Marshall Fire in Boulder, Colorado, in December 2021.
As the Spokane fires continue to spread with little containment, the flames can destroy even more structures.
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Authorities have confirmed that the fires are man-made, and they've arrested a 37-year-old suspect in connection with the wildfires.