Wildfires in eastern Washington state have forced the evacuation of 60,000 people in the Spokane area and destroyed at least 600 homes, businesses, and other structures, authorities reported on Sunday.

The fires, which burned approximately 21 square kilometers (8 square miles) in and around Spokane, the state's second-largest city, are part of dozens of wildfires across the Western United States. These blazes are straining the resources of federal, state, and local agencies tasked with combating them.

Officials stated there have been no reports of injuries or missing persons, but cautioned that the response is in its early stages. Visuals from the Spokane area depicted buildings engulfed in flames, dark smoke rising near residential neighborhoods, and the charred remains of homes, with only chimneys visible.

Senator Maria Cantwell, speaking at a news conference with federal, state, and local officials, expressed concern about the dry weather forecast. "We are not out of danger," Cantwell said. "The next couple of days will be challenging."

Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the blazes. The Spokane area is experiencing continued dry weather, contributing to the ongoing danger. Across Washington state, a total of approximately 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) have burned, with some fires, including those near Spokane, remaining uncontained.

Other regions in the Western U.S. are also battling significant wildfires. In western Idaho and eastern Oregon, firefighters have spent ten days battling a blaze that has consumed nearly 1,360 square kilometers (525 square miles) of grassland. This fire threatens over 600 homes and 800 other structures, impacting cattle ranching areas.

Meanwhile, a large fire in central Utah more than doubled in size over the weekend, expanding from about 41 square kilometers (16 square miles) to 145 square kilometers (56 square miles) by Sunday morning. Local law enforcement reported that over 100 cattle have perished as a result of this fire.

The widespread and intense wildfire activity in the Western U.S. highlights ongoing concerns about climate and environmental conditions contributing to such events. The scale of the evacuations and destruction in Spokane underscores the immediate threat posed by these fires to communities and infrastructure.