Arrest in Spokane Fires as Mass Evacuations Continue and Solvent-Plant Blaze Burns Near São Paulo

Overview

• Three fast-moving wildfires that began over the weekend around Spokane have forced more than 65,000 people to evacuate and have destroyed between about 700 and 1,110 structures while burning several thousand hectares.
• A 37-year-old man, Aaron Farinacci, was arrested on suspicion of starting the largest Spokane blaze and was ordered held on $1 million bail as investigators search for up to 14 people they have not yet reached.
• Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency and requested federal assistance after officials reported limited access for searches because active fire continues to block some neighborhoods.
• In Greater São Paulo, a major industrial fire at the Quema Química solvent plant in Itaquaquecetuba produced multiple explosions, sent heavy smoke over nearby streets and sewers, prompted local evacuations and kept at least 18 fire units working with no reported injuries so far.
• Local officials and experts warn that extreme heat, low humidity and human-caused ignitions are driving this week’s fires, that unauthorized drones and depleted hydrant or water supplies are hampering aerial and ground firefighting, and that longer-term damage assessments and criminal investigations are under way.