Spokane Wildfire Suspect Confesses to Setting Dozens of Fires, NBC News Reports
The suspect told investigators he waited for a windy day to set a blaze, according to an NBC News report, as officials count more than 800 homes and buildings lost in the Spokane fires.
A suspect in the Spokane wildfires has confessed to setting dozens of fires and told investigators he waited for a windy day before starting a blaze, according to a report from NBC News.
The network reported the confession in a segment titled "Spokane Wildfire Suspect Confesses to Setting Dozens of Fires." In an accompanying report, NBC News said the arson suspect described deliberately choosing a windy day to set the fire — conditions that typically allow flames to spread faster and make containment far harder for crews on the ground.
The admission comes as the scale of the destruction around Spokane, Washington, continues to grow. NBC News reported that more than 800 homes and buildings have been lost as the wildfires rage.
The network did not identify the suspect in the material reviewed, and did not detail what charges, if any, have been filed, or at what stage any criminal case stands. Statements made to investigators are not by themselves a legal finding; a suspect is presumed innocent unless and until convicted.
Arson investigations in wildfire cases are typically handled jointly by local law enforcement and state or federal fire investigators, who work to trace ignition points and match them to a suspect's account. No further detail on the investigation was available in the report.
This is a developing story.
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