Wildfire closures still in place for Riverside, Centennial Trail while conditions monitored

SPOKANE —  Riverside State Park and a portion of the Spokane River Centennial State Park Trail are closed while the Old Trails and Autumn Lane wildfires continue to burn in the Spokane area.  

Riverside is under a full park closure, with large portions of the park still categorized as a level 3 evacuation zone. The Spokane River Centennial Trail is closed within Riverside from Military Cemetery to its terminus at the Nine Mile Recreation Area. The section of trail from Military Cemetery east to the Washington/Idaho border remains open. 

Mount Spokane State Park, located approximately 45 minutes from the city center, is open and not under any evacuation orders at this time. 

Heading into the weekend, much of Eastern Washington is still under threat of critical fire conditions. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning, effective 11 a.m. Friday through 11 p.m. Saturday.  

Visitor impacts 

Camping reservations at Riverside have been canceled through Aug. 17. The cancelation may be extended following park safety assessments or as determined by ongoing wildfire activity and conditions. 

Park events scheduled through September have been canceled. Event organizers with events planned in Riverside are encouraged to contact the park office to discuss options.  

Any updates to closures, conditions or park status will be posted as a park alert on parks.wa.gov. Visitors are encouraged to check alerts often and to always “know before you go” when preparing to visit any park.  

Please respect all park closures. Closures are in place for everyone’s safety and to allow firefighters to do their work. 

Park impacts 

Firefighters are actively fighting both the Old Trails and Autumn Lane wildfires in Riverside. This work is anticipated to continue for days to come.  

Together, these wildfires have impacted more than an estimated 1,500 acres of state park property. Both remain active and have hundreds of hotspots that are still smoldering in the footprint of the fires.  

When conditions allow and it is safe to do so, State Parks staff will begin assessing the condition of the park for damage and for visitor safety. 

Anticipated work includes removal of standing dead burnt hazard trees threatening roadways, day-use areas, campgrounds and trails. The removal process will take time to be completed safely.