Spokane Arrests 37-Year-Old in 10,000-Acre Wildfire as Probe Ties Him to 2 Earlier Arson Cases
Updated
Updated · The Seattle Times · Aug 5
Spokane Arrests 37-Year-Old in 10,000-Acre Wildfire as Probe Ties Him to 2 Earlier Arson Cases
3 articles · Updated · The Seattle Times · Aug 5
Summary
$1 million bond was set for a 37-year-old man booked Monday night on suspicion of first-degree arson in the Old Trails fire, one of three Spokane County wildfires that have driven more than 60,000 evacuations.
Investigators say a resident saw him crouched near train tracks at the fire's origin point around noon Saturday, and 911 calls reporting flames came in at about the same time.
Deputies and a state fire investigator stopped the man twice that day near the blaze but released him; he was carrying cigarettes, a butane lighter and matches, and the fire was later deemed likely started by an open flame.
The state investigator then linked him to two earlier Spokane-area arson inquiries in 2025, including a Riverside State Park fire where photos showed a man in the same green slogan T-shirt with a Bic lighter.
The Old Trails, Autumn Lane and Fairview fires have burned more than 10,000 acres, damaged over 700 structures and remained uncontained Tuesday; all three are still under investigation.