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Arson Suspect Arrested as Wildfires Devastate Spokane

evening · · thread: Massive Wildfires Force Hundreds of Thousands to Evacuate in France and Spain

5 sources across 4 countries · United Kingdom · France · Germany · United States

Who reported this

  • BBC News United Kingdom · Centre · Public · Licence fee, royal charter
  • Reuters United Kingdom · Centre · Thomson Reuters Corporation
  • France 24 France · Centre · Public · France Medias Monde (French state holding)
  • Frankfurter Allgemeine Germany · Centre-right · FAZIT-Stiftung (foundation)
  • Associated Press United States · Centre · Non-profit news cooperative

What the colours mean

  • Left
  • Centre-left
  • Centre
  • Centre-right
  • Right
  • A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.

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Authorities in Washington state have arrested 37 year old Aaron Farinacci on suspicion of arson in connection with the largest of several wildfires burning near Spokane. Farinacci was allegedly seen kneeling near grass at the site of the Old Trails fire and was found in possession of matches and a lighter. He is being held on a first degree arson charge with a 1 million dollar bond; the Spokane County Sheriff noted that the suspect has a previous manslaughter conviction.

The wildfires have forced between 60,000 and 64,000 people to evacuate. Approximately 700 buildings have been destroyed, and more than 3,200 hectares of forest have burned. While no deaths or injuries have been confirmed, Governor Bob Ferguson described the situation as a nightmare and likely the worst natural disaster in the history of Spokane. Mayor Lisa Brown warned that there is still potential for lives to be lost.

More than 900 firefighters are currently assigned to the fires, with reinforcements expected from other states. Governor Ferguson has issued a statewide ban on all outdoor fires as officials warn that heat and wind could lead to further devastation. Authorities are currently attempting to locate 14 people who have not been reached by phone, though they are not yet considered missing.

How each side framed it

Centre
These outlets provided detailed accounts of the human toll and specific legal details regarding the suspect.
Centre-right
This outlet provided a concise summary focusing on the scale of evacuation and the arson arrest.

Sources

100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.