Fairchild Air Force Base ‘still fully capable’ despite major wildfires

Officials at Fairchild Air Force Base said thick smoke had no impact on airfield operations Tuesday, four days after a trio of fires broke out around Spokane in eastern Washington.

“We’re still fully capable to accomplish the mission,” said Tech. Sgt. Heather Ley, a base spokeswoman.

Personnel who were working outside were given N95 face masks to keep from breathing the ash-laden air.

Some personnel and families who live off base do not know if their homes were damaged by the fire.

“We’re mainly concerned with supporting our airmen and families who live in the evacuation zones,” Ley said.

The Fairchild Military Family and Readiness Center activated the EFAC to provide support to military families who were impacted by wildfires across the region through donations and assistance resources. (Emily Farnsworth/U.S. Air Force)

The Air Force has opened an Emergency Family Assistance Center on the base, offering food and clothing available for those in need.

Winds are pushing the fire lines away from Fairchild, home to the 92nd Air Refueling Wing and one of the major KC-135 Stratotanker bases in the country.

The Old Trails Fire, the oldest and largest of the fires, started around 1 p.m. Saturday near Airway Heights, a neighborhood about 12 miles north of the base. It has spread to more than 3,500 acres and remains uncontained. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office on Monday announced they had arrested a man on suspicion of arson in connection to the fire.

Firefighters are battling two other nearby blazes, believed to have been set off by lightning. The three fires have burned a combined 10,000 acres, destroying 700 homes and structures since Saturday. None of the fires have been contained. About 65,000 area residents live in evacuation zones. No deaths have been reported, but 14 people have been reported missing.

The federal Air Quality Index hovered near 200 at Fairchild on Tuesday, giving the area a rating at the upper limit of “unhealthy” air. An AQI number of 201-300 is considered “very unhealthy.” Children, teens and older people were instructed to limit activity outdoors.

Firefighting officials remain concerned as record-breaking temperatures over 100 degrees are forecast for the area on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Washington National Guard is also using Fairchild as a staging area for troops mobilized to assist local law enforcement in fire-scarred areas.

Airman attached to the 141st Security Forces await a briefing during predeployment in-processing at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., on, Aug. 2, 2026. More than 100 Washington Air National Guard airmen were deploy in support of wildfire response operations, providing traffic control and security assistance to civil authorities in communities affected by ongoing wildfires across Eastern Washington. (Michael Lee Brown/U.S. Air Force)