Arson suspect arrested as Spokane fires ravage buildings, force tens of thousands to evacuate
Authorities have arrested a man accused of intentionally igniting the devastating fires in and around Spokane, Washington, that have already forced tens of thousands to evacuate their homes. Kris Van Cleave reports and Rob Marciano has the forecast.
A man, Aaron Farinacci, 37, has been arrested and charged with first-degree arson for allegedly starting one of the three fires burning in the Spokane, Washington area. According to the Spokane County Sheriff, Farinacci is accused of using matches or a lighter to ignite a roadside patch of grass, sparking the Old Trails Fire.
The three fires have forced 64,000 people to evacuate and destroyed over 700 buildings. They have burned more than 10,000 acres and are considered a top firefighting priority in the US. The fires are being driven by gusting winds and tinder-dry conditions.
Farinacci was jailed on a $1 million bond. The origins of the two other fires remain under investigation, according to the Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels.
Brief written by urgent.news from CBS News, PBS NewsHour Health, Daily Maverick, Channel News Asia, The Hill — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
