Authorities in Washington state have arrested a man on suspicion of arson in connection with the largest of three wildfires burning near Spokane, the state's second-most-populous city, according to the Spokane County Sheriff's Office. The fires have forced more than 60,000 people to evacuate since the weekend and destroyed more than 700 buildings.
The Sheriff's Office said Aaron Farinacci, 37, was allegedly seen kneeling near grass at the site of the Old Trails fire and was later found in possession of matches and a lighter. He has been booked on a charge of first-degree arson and is being held on $1m (£744,150) bond. Sheriff John Nowels said Farinacci, a Spokane resident, has a previous manslaughter conviction.
Three major fires — named Old Trails, Fairview and Autumn Lane — have burned in and around Spokane, a city of roughly 230,000 people located about 280 miles east of Seattle. They form part of a wider outbreak of 16 wildfires currently active across Washington state, according to the state's Department of Natural Resources.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson described the situation as a "nightmare situation" and said it was likely to be recorded as the worst natural disaster in Spokane's history. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said there remained "the potential for lives to be lost" and that it was too early to say when evacuated residents might be able to return to their properties.
Sheriff Nowels said authorities were attempting to make contact with 14 people who could not currently be reached by mobile phone, though they were not yet classified as missing. He said it was likely that many had been evacuated safely but had lost phone signal or battery power.
Firefighting crews have reported progress containing two of the three fires affecting the city. More than 900 firefighters have been assigned to tackle the Washington blazes, with additional reinforcements expected from other states. Officials said lighter winds and cooler temperatures were forecast for Tuesday, but warned that conditions were expected to worsen again later in the week as temperatures rise.
In response to the fires, Governor Ferguson has issued a statewide ban on all outdoor burning. Dave Upthegrove, the state's Commissioner of Public Lands, said firefighting resources were already stretched thin across Washington and warned that any new ignition source on the state's dry landscape could trigger further destructive fires. He urged residents to avoid any activity that could create sparks.
The human toll of the fires has been considerable. Residents described losing homes, possessions and, in some cases, keepsakes belonging to deceased family members. One resident, Anna Andreachi, told broadcasters that her father had died recently and that his belongings had still been in her home when it burned down.
Other accounts have circulated through verified fundraising pages set up to support displaced residents. One such page described how a pregnant woman in Spokane lost her apartment, along with clothing, furniture and belongings prepared for a newborn, after evacuating with her family. The page noted that the household lacked renters' insurance and would need to rebuild from nothing.
Some residents have taken independent action to protect their properties. One man, Joe Cvancara, said he managed to save his home by digging a fire line around it, but described feeling "survivor's guilt" after a neighbouring property was destroyed. He said he intended to offer his home to displaced neighbours while recovery efforts continue.
Scientists have long linked human-induced climate change to conditions that increase the likelihood and intensity of wildfires, including prolonged heatwaves, drier vegetation and reduced summer rainfall in parts of the western United States. Such conditions have contributed to a pattern of larger and more frequent wildfires across the region in recent years, though officials have not attributed the Spokane fires specifically to climate factors, focusing instead on the ongoing criminal investigation and containment efforts.
Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the Old Trails fire, while emergency services in Spokane maintain evacuation orders and assess the full scale of structural and environmental damage. Local and state authorities have said further updates on containment progress and any additional arrests will be provided as the situation develops.
