Dear Community,

It is hard to put into words the grief we are collectively feeling in the Spokane region today. On Saturday, I held my breath and a feeling of dread washed over me as we entered a “particularly dangerous situation,” a high fire risk alert never seen before in this region. Today, our hearts are heavy with the devastation surrounding us. It is a scary and uncertain time for our community: thousands of people displaced, hundreds of homes, memories, and pets lost, and many of our beloved nature trails and parks scorched.

In the time since the fires started, Spokane County has come together to support each other. I have seen a tremendous outpouring of support from all levels of the community. Even before this weekend, I saw our community organizing support for those affected by the Kaiser Canyon Fire on the Colville Reservation, which is one of many in our state still burning. Spokane is a community that cares deeply for each other, which also means that we are hurting. As we continue through this period of uncertainty and destruction, let us pray and care for each other. There are immediate needs now and needs will continue to develop and change as time goes on. If you are safe, I encourage you to check in on your friends, family, and acquaintances—see what they need; perhaps it’s just some company, a nutritious meal, or a place to do some laundry.

In addition to the many resources linked below, I know many of your congregations and denominations are organizing resources that will be there for the short term and the long term, like the UMC Committee on Relief and the ELCA Disaster Response. I encourage you to explore these options whether you need assistance or are looking for somewhere to support. As a network of faith communities across our state and region, FAN will do our best to share information and connect faith communities locally.

Together we pray for those who lost homes, for those who are waiting in the unknowing, not able to return home. We pray for the firefighters, first responders, and volunteers working long hours to save what they can. We pray for our lands, air, and rivers and all the creatures who call them home. We pray for comfort and peace in our region.

In community and care,

Brianna Dilts

Eastern Washington Organizer

*New resources and efforts are being shared constantly; this is a snapshot of some resources at this point in time.

Evacuation, Shelter, and Community Response Resources:

• Comprehensive-ish* lists; places to donate are included in both lists:
  • The City of Spokane has compiled a list of community resources, including the Red Cross shelter at the Convention Center and a list of several Spokane-area hotels that have stepped forward to assist residents displaced by the ongoing wildfires.
    
    
  • The Spokane Public Library has also compiled a list of resources, including food, shelter, and material resources. They will continue to update this posting as resources change. 
    
    
• Spokane County Updates and Resources, including current evacuation maps for Spokane County. You can also look at the Stevens County Evacuation Map as the Autumn Lane fire is burning in both counties.
  
  
• Watch Duty wildfire tracking app and map for evacuation and fire alerts across counties.
• It’s always good to have an evacuation plan even if you aren’t in danger of the current fires. This page from Wildfire Ready CA goes into great detail, as does this guide from Washington Department of Natural Resources.

Health:

• Spokane Regional Health District  for quality guidance and health recommendations during wildfire smoke and precautions to take after a wildfire.
• Smoke Ready Spokane for information on how to reduce smoke impact in your home.

Voting:

• Ballots are due tomorrow, on Tuesday, August 4 by 8 pm. Official ballot drop-boxes are the best place to submit your ballot at this time since USPS has been unpredictable. The Indian Trail Library remains closed due to the fires but all other drop boxes are open. If you need a replacement ballot, you can get one from the county elections office or print one on votewa.gov. 

General Resources:

• Washington 2-1-1– Call 2-1-1 or visit the Washington 211 website for connections to housing, food, financial assistance, and other local resources.
• The Fig Tree’s Resource Guide for regional resources of many kinds.

Stay connected with our emails! Please be sure to list fan@fanwa.org as a safe sender by adding us to your contacts.