Spokane Wildfire Recovery: Insurance Help, Emergency Protections and Local Resources

The Spokane-area wildfires remain an active emergency. Fire conditions, evacuation levels, assistance locations and road closures may change quickly. Before traveling or returning home, check the official Spokane County evacuation map and follow instructions from local authorities.

Update: August 12, 2026

The Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner is continuing its support for Spokane wildfire survivors beyond the initial Disaster Assistance Center. The OIC has announced monthly insurance claims workshops for Spokane wildfire survivors, providing an ongoing place to get help with insurance questions and the claims process as recovery continues.

As the initial Disaster Assistance Center at Shadle Park High School has wrapped up, recovery assistance will continue through local organizations and agencies. Check the Spokane County wildfire resource directory for current local services and locations.
h2>Where to find help in the Spokane area

As the response shifts toward recovery, locations and available services continue to change. These resources are good starting points for finding current help:

• ⭐ Local resources: Check Spokane Public Library’s wildfire resource list and the Spokane County wildfire resource directory for current assistance.
• Emergency updates and evacuations: Follow Spokane County updates and check your address on the official evacuation map.
• Red Cross assistance: The Red Cross is supporting affected residents with shelter, meals, health and mental health services, replacement medications and other recovery needs. Use the Red Cross shelter and assistance finder or call 800-733-2767.
• Animals and livestock: The Spokane County Fair and Expo Center has been used as a resource for people evacuating with animals and livestock. Confirm current availability through Spokane County before traveling.

Earlier local reporting from KREM documented evacuation and shelter resources associated with the Old Trails Fire, Fairview Fire and Autumn Lane Fire. Because those operational details can change quickly, use the live resources above for current locations.

For people looking to support recovery efforts, the Innovia Foundation Spokane Complex Wildfire Response Fund supports immediate needs and longer-term recovery through local nonprofit partners.

What to do when it’s safe to assess damage

Don’t delay an evacuation or enter a restricted area to photograph property. Even after flames have passed, damaged power lines, unstable trees, debris, weakened structures, ruptured gas lines and hot materials may make an area unsafe.

Once authorities allow you to return, take these steps to protect your claim:

• Start the claim: Contact your insurance company or agent. Ask for your claim number, assigned adjuster and a list of the information they need.
• Share your location: Tell the insurer where you are staying and how to reach you if you can’t live at home.
• Document the damage: Take photos or video before cleaning, moving or throwing anything away, when it’s safe to do so.
• List what was lost: Create an inventory of damaged or destroyed belongings. Add estimated purchase dates, costs, brands, models and any receipts or older photos you can find.
• Prevent more damage: Make reasonable temporary repairs, such as covering a broken window or damaged roof, and save the receipts.
• Wait on major repairs: Avoid permanent work until the insurer has inspected the property or approved the repairs.
• Track extra expenses: Keep receipts for hotels, meals, laundry, transportation and other costs caused by displacement.
• Check your coverage: Ask about loss-of-use or additional living expense coverage, including any dollar or time limits.
• Keep a claim record: Note dates, names, conversations and copies of everything you submit.

Additional living expense coverage generally pays the added cost of living elsewhere, not every household expense. For example, it may cover the difference between your usual food costs and the higher cost of meals while staying in a hotel. Ask your insurer what expenses qualify and what documentation it requires.

The OIC’s steps to take after home damage or a loss provide more detailed guidance.

What to know after filing a claim

• Inspections: Your insurer may inspect the property in person, request photos or use a virtual inspection. Ask what the company needs before beginning cleanup or permanent repairs.
• Contractors: You may choose your own contractor, even if the insurance company recommends one.
• Assignments of benefits: Read any assignment of benefits carefully before signing. It may transfer control of the claim to a contractor and limit your ability to negotiate or change contractors. Learn more from the OIC about assignments of benefits and homeowner claims.
• Smoke and soot damage: Homeowner or renter insurance may cover cleanup, repairs, damaged belongings or temporary living costs, depending on the policy and loss. Review the OIC’s smoke-damage guidance before beginning extensive cleanup.

Insurance help from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner

Washington residents don’t have to handle confusing insurance questions alone. The OIC offers several free consumer resources:

• Consumer hotline: 800-562-6900, available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Questions about coverage or claims: Submit the OIC’s Ask an insurance expert form.
• Prescription refill problems: Review the OIC’s emergency prescription order for fire survivors or call 800-562-6900 if you have trouble obtaining an early refill related to the fires.
• Problems with an insurer: File an insurance complaint or check its status.
• Agent and insurer information: Use the agent and company lookup tool to verify licensing and find company contact information.
• Wildfire coverage information: Review the OIC’s wildfire and insurance resources.
• Audio background: Listen to the emergency episode of OIC Answers on Insurance. Some event details discussed in the episode were later changed, but its claims guidance remains useful.

The OIC can explain insurance requirements, help consumers understand an insurer’s response and review complaints. It can’t rewrite a policy, independently determine the value of every loss or guarantee that a disputed claim will be paid.

Federal response and possible recovery assistance

FEMA approved an emergency declaration for Washington on Aug. 4 to support state and local response efforts. An emergency declaration can help agencies cover eligible emergency-response work, but it doesn’t automatically mean that every affected household can apply for direct FEMA payments.

Watch the FEMA declaration page, the Spokane County website and announcements from the Disaster Assistance Center for information about any individual aid programs that become available.

Be cautious about unofficial messages asking for fees, banking information or Social Security numbers. Government disaster programs don’t charge people to apply.

Check current fire and air-quality information

Fire size, containment, evacuation levels and smoke conditions can change throughout the day. Use current sources rather than relying on older reports or social media posts.

• Official fire and evacuation updates: Follow the Spokane County wildfire updates and check your address on the official evacuation map.
• Wildfire maps and alerts: The Watch Duty app provides live fire maps and verified incident alerts. Use it as an additional resource while continuing to follow instructions from local emergency officials.
• Local air quality: Check the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency for hourly local AQI readings.
• Statewide smoke conditions: Visit the Washington Smoke Blog for statewide forecasts and wildfire smoke updates.
• Smoke preparation: Smoke Ready Spokane offers information about cleaner-air rooms, filtration, masks and reducing smoke exposure.

Health support during smoke and recovery

Watch for smoke-related symptoms

Wildfire smoke can cause coughing, wheezing, irritated eyes and sinuses, headaches, shortness of breath, chest discomfort and worsening of existing heart or lung conditions. Children, older adults, pregnant people and people with asthma, COPD, heart disease or respiratory infections may be especially sensitive.

Call 911 for severe difficulty breathing, chest pain or another medical emergency.

Health care support for eligible BHT members

For eligible BHT member employees and benefit-eligible dependents in the Spokane area who have Nice Healthcare, Nice is another non-emergency option for support. Smoke-related respiratory concerns are within Nice’s primary care scope. A Nice primary care provider can assess symptoms, discuss clinically appropriate prescription or pharmacy adjustments and offer personalized guidance for someone managing asthma or another underlying condition.

Mental health support for eligible BHT members

The emotional effects of a disaster may not appear immediately. Stress, anxiety and emotional exhaustion can surface days or weeks later. Nice’s mental health therapy team can provide assessments, coping strategies and ongoing support. When a patient’s needs extend beyond Nice’s scope, the care team can help connect them with additional resources.

Learn more about Nice Healthcare through Business Health Trust.

Information for employers and employees

Wildfires can disrupt work through evacuations, school closures, smoke exposure and recovery needs. The Greater Spokane Inc. Fire Resources page brings together current information for local employers and employees.

• Paid sick leave: Washington employees may be able to use accrued paid sick leave when a wildfire evacuation affects their home or workplace, or when a school or child care provider closes under an emergency declaration.
• Workplace smoke: Employers with workers exposed to wildfire smoke should review Washington’s smoke-safety requirements, including applicable PM2.5 monitoring, communication and exposure-reduction requirements.
• Flexibility: Archbright recommends considering remote work or flexible scheduling for eligible employees when evacuations, school closures or recovery needs make normal schedules difficult.
• Helping coworkers: Employers with existing leave-donation programs may consider reminding employees about them, or reviewing whether a program could help employees who need additional time away from work. Tip courtesy of Archbright.
• Business recovery: Greater Spokane’s resource page also links to small-business recovery information, federal disaster resources and agricultural assistance.