Witness Account Leads to Arrest in Spokane-Area Wildfire
A neighbor's 911 call after seeing a man 'acting suspiciously' helped tie a suspect to one of the region's fires
By Nathaniel "Beltway" Steele
A resident of Spokane County, Washington, told authorities he noticed a man behaving suspiciously before calling 911 after spotting smoke — a tip that police say helped lead to an arrest connected to one of the wildfires burning in the area, according to the New York Times.
Police have since arrested a suspect tied to one of the fires, CBS News reported Monday, though officials have not detailed the full evidence chain or said whether the man faces arson charges specifically, based on the reporting reviewed here. The witness's account — described only in general terms in available reporting — centered on unusual behavior near where the fire is believed to have started.
Wildfires have strained Spokane-area resources this summer, and investigators have been working to determine the cause of multiple blazes in the region. The Times report did not specify how many fires remain under investigation or whether more arrests are expected.
[Editor's note: Further details on the charges, the suspect's identity, and the fire's cause should be confirmed with law enforcement before follow-up reporting, as the source material reviewed here is limited to brief wire-style summaries.]
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— Compiled from reporting by The New York Times and CBS News.
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