Tuesday, August 11, 2026 — Tribes face record-setting wildfire destruction

A frequent location of summer wildfires, eastern Washington State is suffering one of the most destructive fires seasons in memory. Fires on the Confederate Tribes of Colville Reservation have prompted evacuations and destroyed more than 50 homes and other structures. They are among the some 700 buildings destroyed in the current fire season in the state. On Oregon’s Warm Springs Reservation, fires started early and were fueled by persistent winds. In addition to coping with the fires, the community is now facing worries about having adequate clean drinking water. Fires in Washington and Oregon have charred more than 3 million acres so far. We’ll talk with tribal officials working to save people, buildings and land during an unusually destructive wildfire season.