# Arson suspected in devastating US wildfire that forced 60,000 to evacuate

https://mins.news/en/item/12725

- France 24, 2026-08-04 09:12 UTC
- Society
- Original: https://www.france24.com/en/arson-suspected-in-devastating-us-wildfire-that-forced-60-000-to-evacuate

> Police in Washington state have arrested a 37-year-old man on suspicion of starting a destructive wildfire. The blaze has spread across more than 3,200 hectares of forest near Spokane, the state’s second-largest city. Firefighters have yet to contain it, while tens of thousands of residents have been forced from their homes. The fire has destroyed 700 buildings.

## Related coverage

- [LIVE: Damage in Washington after wildfires](https://mins.news/en/video/14129) — Reuters, 2026-08-05
- [Arson arrest made over largest of Washington state’s wildfires](https://mins.news/en/item/12741) — BBC News, 2026-08-04
- [US arrests suspect over Spokane wildfire as tens of thousands flee blaze](https://mins.news/en/item/12719) — Al Jazeera, 2026-08-04