Man arrested on suspicion of arson near Spokane, bail set at $1 million

Police in the United States yesterday arrested a 37-year-old man suspected of starting one of the large wildfires that struck the eastern part of the state of Washington, while many wait to determine whether their homes are among the hundreds of burned structures.

Suspect in the "Old Trails" fire

The Spokane County Sheriff's Office said Aron F. Farinachi (37) was arrested on suspicion of arson linked to the "Old Trails" fire and is being held on $1 million bail. It is not yet known whether he has an attorney who can speak on his behalf.

The fire, which broke out on Saturday, was one of several active blazes around Spokane — the second-largest city in the state — and together they are among the most destructive fires in the state's history. Authorities say at least 700 structures were destroyed and about 67,000 people were forced to evacuate.

Some residents who returned on Monday found their homes completely destroyed. "There is nothing to save," said 76-year-old Mirijam Sim as she and her husband Daniel surveyed the ruins of the house they had lived in since 2005. Her husband asked, "At our age, do we even want to rebuild?"

By Monday the fires had crossed roads and rivers and consumed about 32 square kilometers. The sky was filled with smoke and thick haze; calmer winds and lower temperatures have helped firefighters, but it is expected to become hot and dry again by midweek.

Spokane County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Mark Gregory said that nearly 300 people were initially reported missing, but by Monday all but 14 of those reports had been cleared. Authorities say the remaining reports likely concern people who have not yet contacted their families after the evacuation, rather than people who are actually missing.

Fire services said the fires in the Spokane area are still not under control; more than 1,000 firefighters are currently involved in the response, many from other states, and their number is expected to double. These fires are part of dozens of active blazes across the western U.S., putting serious strain on federal, state and local resources. In the state of Washington at least 1,000 square kilometers have burned so far, and authorities warned people not to fly drones over affected areas because that could force crews to suspend aerial firefighting operations.

Photo: Printscreen / X / World Source News