A man has been arrested and charged with first-degree arson.
President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for fires in Eastern Washington state on Tuesday. The declaration provides Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance to state and local authorities. The fast-moving fires have destroyed hundreds of structures, including entire neighborhoods, in the Spokane area. Firefighters from across the nation have joined in the effort to contain the fires, and the National Guard was deployed to assist with evacuation and firefighting.
Tens of thousands of residents were forced to evacuate over the weekend. Over 5,300 acres had burned by Sunday afternoon, and Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said that the fires were “the worst natural disaster our region has faced.”
Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency and spoke with President Trump on Sunday, and submitted a request for federal assistance. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, along with the nine U.S. Representatives, also sent a joint letter to the president’s administration urging FEMA assistance.
The assistance supports search and rescue operations, debris removal, medical supplies and assistance, temporary sheltering, and emergency power in Chelan, Ferry, Okanogan, Spokane, Stevens, and Yakima counties and also applies to the Yakama Nation, the Colville Nation, and the Spokane Tribe of Indians.
Law enforcement arrested a man on Monday who is accused of starting one of the three wildfires in the county. The man, who had a previous conviction for manslaughter, had waterproof matches and a butane lighter in his possession at the time of his arrest. He has been charged with first-degree arson.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For President Trump and FEMA officials as they provide assistance to state and local leaders and first responders.
- For Governor Ferguson to be discerning in his allocation of resources to combat the wildfires and assist displaced residents.
- For the safety of firefighters, first responders, and members of the National Guard, as they seek to contain the fires and rescue people.
Sources: KHQ, KREM2, Daily Wire, UPI News, NOAA
