Wildfires near Spokane destroy more than 700 buildings, force 64,000 to flee

SPOKANE, Washington, Aug 3 (Reuters). Wildfires raging on the outskirts of Spokane, Washington, for a third day have destroyed at least 700 buildings and forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes in and around Washington state's second-most populous city, officials said on Monday.

"There's a high probability that will change in the coming days," incident command spokesperson Benjamin Cossel said of the expected death toll.

"There are just so many Washingtonians who have literally lost everything in a very, very short period of time," Governor Bob Ferguson said.

"We are still assessing the potential for lives to be lost," Mayor Lisa Brown said.

"This is an extraordinary wildfire season in the Pacific Northwest," Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove said.

"The worst thing in the world is to let people go home only to have to evacuate them again 24 or 48 hours later," Cossel said.

At least 700 structures burned, mostly residential; aerial infrared surveys suggest possibly another 400 buildings damaged or destroyed; 64,000 under immediate evacuation orders Monday, up from 4,000 a day earlier; 3 blazes scorched more than 8,000 acres (3,200 hectares) since Saturday; about 1,100 firefighters locally vs 29,200+ assigned nationwide; 0% containment as of Monday; one of 15 major fires in Washington state with more than 250,000 acres ablaze; nationwide 44,722 wildfires YTD, nearly 5.2 million acres; air assets limited to four fixed-wing tankers; no water-dropping helicopters.