Across Washington, 17 Fires Are Active, Burning Over 262,000 Acres, Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove Said Monday

A 37-year-old Washington State man was arrested and charged with first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, one of the blazes devastating Spokane, the Spokane Sheriff's Office said. Aaron Farinacci, of Spokane, was taken into custody at his home Monday without incident after a warrant was issued for his arrest and another to search his premises. The Old Trails Fire has destroyed hundreds of homes, and investigations into it, along with the Autumn Lane and Fairview fires, remain ongoing.

The three major fires surrounding Spokane have burned more than 8,000 acres (3,237 hectares) as of Monday morning and remain uncontained, according to InciWeb. Across Washington, 17 fires are active, burning over 262,000 acres, Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove said Monday. Governor Bob Ferguson said the Trump administration approved his emergency declaration request in full except for debris removal, covering six counties including Spokane and three tribes, enabling federal support for evacuations, shelters, food, water, and search and rescue. In Spokane, a metro area of about 600,000 near the Idaho border, roughly 700 structures have burned in the past 48 hours, with no injuries or fatalities reported.