Overview
- Three wildfires raced through north Spokane on Aug. 1, burning roughly 10,000 acres, forcing about 67,000 people to evacuate and destroying or damaging an estimated 900 structures.
- Local Latter-day Saint leaders tracked members within hours and had status reports from all nine bishops in the Spokane Washington North Stake within 24 hours, then opened meetinghouses as donation and relief centers.
- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf and Elder Neil L. Andersen met with about 1,300 members on Sunday, Aug. 23, surveyed burned neighborhoods, visited families who lost homes and publicly pledged that the Church will not forget the affected communities.
- More than half the stake’s members remain displaced, at least 27 Latter-day Saint households lost primary residences and Church teams have delivered supplies including three semitrucks to support evacuees.
- Recovery will be prolonged as families rebuild and repair, with the Church’s organized welfare system, local ministering efforts and ongoing material aid likely to shape how housing, emotional support and community services are provided in the months ahead.