After the Fires: Standing Together for Spokane’s Forests & Communities

The smoke may be beginning to clear, but for many of our neighbors, the devastation left behind by this summer’s fires will remain for years to come. On August 1, the Old Trails, Autumn Lane, and Fairview fires erupted across the Spokane area, rapidly becoming one of the most devastating wildfire events our community has experienced. Together, the three fires burned nearly 10,000 acres and damaged or destroyed an estimated 921 structures, leaving families displaced, homes lost, neighborhoods changed, and thousands of people wondering what comes next.

Behind those numbers are people; families who lost their homes and everything inside them; neighborhoods that will look different for generations; parks, open spaces, wildlife habitat, and forests that have been profoundly altered. And there are countless trees, some completely consumed by fire, others left standing but damaged or hazardous, that will require careful assessment as our community begins recovering.

We at ConiFriends want to extend our deepest condolences to everyone who has been affected by these fires. We are especially thinking of those who lost their homes, their belongings, their livelihoods, and places that held decades of memories. We also want to express our immense gratitude to the firefighters, emergency responders, utility crews, law enforcement officers, volunteers, nonprofit organizations, and countless ordinary Spokane-area residents who stepped forward when their neighbors needed help most.

This is what community looks like. And now, as the immediate emergency response gives way to recovery, we believe that same spirit of community will be needed again. Restoration will take all of us. Wildfire recovery is not something that happens overnight. Before trees can be planted, there will be hazard assessments, debris removal, erosion control, soil stabilization, invasive-species management, habitat assessments, and countless other steps.

The City of Spokane has already begun assessing fire-damaged natural areas and removing hazardous trees, while acknowledging that additional restoration work and volunteer opportunities will emerge as those assessments are completed. Eventually, though, there will come a time when we can begin putting roots back into the ground. That is where organizations like ConiFriends, and the many incredible volunteer groups that make up Spokane’s conservation community, can offer their stewardship.

This fall, we hope to see our local restoration organizations come together in a spirit of cooperation. Trails organizations, native-plant groups, watershed groups, conservation nonprofits, neighborhood organizations, schools, service clubs, land managers, and individual volunteers all have something valuable to contribute. Some may bring volunteers. Some may bring plants. Some may bring tools, ecological expertise, equipment, funding, or access to land. And some may simply be willing to show up with a pair of gloves and spend a Saturday helping their community heal. We need all of them!

Planting is more than replacing trees. For ConiFriends, planting a tree has always meant more than putting a seedling into the ground.It is an investment in shade for a future child. It is habitat for wildlife. It is a root system holding soil in place. It is carbon pulled from the atmosphere. It is a future forest. And after a wildfire, planting can also become a tangible symbol of recovery. We don't want to rush restoration simply for the sake of putting trees in the ground. Good restoration requires listening to land managers, understanding what the ecosystem needs, selecting appropriate native species, respecting natural regeneration, and giving burned landscapes the time and care they need. But when the time is right, we want to be there, bringing as many of our neighbors with us as possible.

This fall, ConiFriends is calling on our fellow local conservation and volunteer organizations to begin thinking about what we can accomplish together. If your organization has volunteers who want to help with wildfire recovery, we want to hear from you. If you manage land that will eventually need native trees or shrubs replanted, we want to hear from you. If you have expertise in ecological restoration, wildfire recovery, erosion control, native plants, forestry, wildlife habitat, or volunteer coordination, we want to work alongside you. And if you are simply a Spokane resident who wants to help rebuild the landscapes that make this place home, there is a place for you.

The road to recovery will be long. But Spokane has never been short on people willing to walk that road together. This fall, let's begin planting the next chapter. For the families rebuilding their lives. For the neighborhoods finding their footing. For the wildlife that lost habitat. For the forests that will someday return. And for the generations of Spokane residents who deserve to inherit a healthy, resilient landscape. The fires changed our community. Now, together, we can help shape what comes next.