Many members of the Washington State University community have reached out over the past few days asking about colleagues, students, friends, and family in the Spokane region. We are grateful for your concern and for the many offers of support.
Washington State University.

Supporting our WSU community during the Spokane Area Fires

August 4, 2026

Dear WSU Community,

Many members of the Washington State University community have reached out over the past few days asking about colleagues, students, friends, and family in the Spokane region. We are grateful for your concern and for the many offers of support. It is a powerful reminder of what it means to be Cougs Helping Cougs.

Following Governor Bob Ferguson’s declaration of a statewide emergency in response to the ongoing wildfires, we recognize that many members of our WSU community have been affected by evacuations, disruptions, and uncertainty, or know friends and family who are directly impacted. Our thoughts are with everyone navigating these challenges and we remain committed to supporting our students, faculty, and staff in Spokane.

If you have been impacted by the fires or know someone who has, WSU has assembled a centralized collection of support resources, including information for students, faculty and staff on emergency assistance, food resources, counseling, and other services. We encourage anyone who needs assistance to visit the WSU Spokane Emergency Support Resources page and reach out for help.
WSU Spokane Emergency Support Resources  ➤

Employees can also find guidance on wildfire- and air quality-related workplace questions through Human Resource Services, including information about leave, workplace flexibility, and accommodations.

For those across the WSU system who have asked how they can help, the Emergency Support Resources page includes opportunities to support the student emergency fund and Spokane campus food pantry. Your compassion and willingness to support fellow Cougs reflect the very best of our university community.

We are also deeply grateful to the firefighters, emergency responders, health care professionals, utility crews, and volunteers who continue working tirelessly to protect our communities.

Thank you for keeping the Spokane community in your thoughts and for continuing to care for one another.

Sincerely,

Betsy Cantwell
President, Washington State University

Chris Riley-Tillman
Provost and Executive Vice President, Washington State University
Letters spelling WSU inside an outline of the state of Washington.

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