Washington Imposes 2-Week Eviction Ban, Expands Aid After Spokane Wildfires

3 articles · Updated · The Seattle Times · Aug 10

Gov. Bob Ferguson issued a two-week emergency eviction ban after Spokane-area wildfires displaced thousands and left hotels nearly full and short-term rentals effectively unavailable.
The order bars most eviction actions statewide tied to the crisis, including evicting tenants for sheltering displaced people or pets and treating evacuated homes as abandoned.
Washington also widened relief by opening state individual assistance to uninsured residents regardless of income, expanding family emergency aid, and waiving the one-week wait for unemployment benefits.
Spokane's Old Trails, Autumn Lane and Fairview fires ignited Aug. 1, forced tens of thousands to evacuate and destroyed hundreds of buildings, with some areas still closed over hot spots, utility damage and debris.
Officials still lack a full displacement and damage count as the state compiles losses for a federal major disaster request expected to face a mid-September deadline.