Wildfires raging just east of Spokane, Washington’s second‑largest city, have forced the evacuation of nearly 60,000 residents. According to city officials, the blaze has annihilated about 600 homes as of Monday night.
BBC Verify has compared videos posted by residents with archival images of the same streets taken before the fires. The side‑by‑side comparison shows devastated neighborhoods, charred houses, and blackened cars.
The investigation was produced by Mabel Pickering. Verification was carried out by Thomas Copeland and Jake Horton, while graphically supporting data was furnished by Mark Edwards.
Tens of thousands were displaced during the blaze, and the damage assessment continues as firefighting crews work to contain the flames and restore safety to the affected communities.
