US arrests suspect over Spokane wildfire as tens of thousands flee blaze

Authorities say about 65,000 people have been displaced by the fires in Washington state. US authorities have arrested a man on suspicion of arson in connection with the largest of three wildfires burning around the northwestern city of Spokane in Washington state , where tens of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate. Aaron Farinacci, 37, was arrested on Monday in connection with the Old Trails fire and charged with first-degree arson. He is being held on a $1m bond after a witness allegedly saw him kneeling in grass where the fire is believed to have started, Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels told reporters on Monday. The arrest came as firefighters continued battling blazes that have scorched large areas around Spokane, a city of about 230,000 people near the Idaho border.

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