Verizon Helps Families Stay Connected During Washington Wildfires
What you need to know:
- Verizon’s network remains strong
- In response to the wildfires in Washington, Verizon is waiving calling, texting and data charges to help our customers connect with loved ones
- This applies to all consumer and small business customers, including prepaid brands
- Verizon Community Disaster Resilience Connectivity Van is deployed
SPOKANE, Wash., Aug. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As crews continue to fight ongoing wildfires across Washington, Verizon is working to keep the community and displaced residents connected.
Customer Relief
In response to the devastating wildfires in Spokane, Verizon will waive domestic call, text, and data charges until August 31 for prepaid and postpaid consumer customers along with small business customers* in Spokane County, WA.
Customers do not have to take any action to take advantage of the offer. Any overages for those whose billing cycles have already closed will be automatically credited back.
Community Resources
Verizon remains committed to maintaining the safety and connectivity of communities, businesses, and first responders throughout affected areas. We continue to offer support to local customers in a number of ways:
- Delivered charging stations for public use at the American Red Cross shelter at the Spokane Convention Center.
- Providing free bottled water, charging of devices and free Wi-Fi at our Spokane Valley and Spokane Northside Verizon stores.
- Spokane Valley - 15106 E. Indiana Avenue, Spokane Valley, WA, 99216
- Spokane Northside - 6227 N Division St, Spokane, WA, 99208
- Verizon community disaster resilience connectivity van - a self-sufficient, mobile community resource hub is on its way to the community.
Verizon Network
Verizon’s network remains strong across Spokane despite the extensive devastation in the region. With redundancy built into critical paths and components, our network is engineered to withstand severe weather and natural disasters, providing essential reliable connectivity for our customers, first responders and the community.
Our specialized engineering and technical teams are actively assessing and monitoring the situation around the clock. We are also maintaining direct contact with local emergency management teams to coordinate communication needs. We have staged mobile assets including mobile cell sites, portable generators and satellite links ready to deploy for rapid recovery and community support if conditions change.
While our network is built to handle the unexpected, satellite capabilities give customers an extra layer of connection if cellular service is ever interrupted during a natural disaster. Learn more, here.
Store Openings and Closures
Current conditions and evacuation orders can impact our retail hours. Verizon’s website has the latest information on store hours and locations. Customers can also reach out online and via the My Verizon app.
Stay Updated
We will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves. To automatically receive updates as they are posted, please visit our News Alerts Signup page or check back regularly for the latest information.
*Verizon small business customers include customers with 50 lines or less.
This announcement was originally published by Verizon. Read the original press release.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) powers and empowers how its millions of customers live, work and play, delivering on their demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity and security. Headquartered in New York City, serving countries worldwide and nearly all of the Fortune 500, Verizon generated revenues of $138.2 billion in 2025. Verizon’s world-class team never stops innovating to meet customers where they are today and equip them for the needs of tomorrow. For more, visit verizon.com or find a retail location at verizon.com/stores.
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Media contacts:
Liz Gelardi
liz.gelardi@verizon.com
Matt Weller
matt.weller@verizon.com