Five brushfires in one day are all suspected to be arson

SPOKANE — Five brushfires that began Monday in West Spokane are all suspected to be arson.

All the fires started in the area around People’s Park and High Bridge Park, west of Browne’s Addition, within five hours of each other.

The first fire began around 2:40 p.m. and swept up a ridge, coming dangerously close to the Ridge Condominiums. Fire crews also extinguished another fire that started across the street at around the same time, according to previous reporting from The Spokesman-Review.

At 8:20 p.m., callers reported seeing smoke beneath the Interstate 90 bridges and West Sunset Boulevard, a news release from the Spokane Fire Department said. When firefighters responded, they found three different fires they were able to contain to 1/4 of an acre.

Investigators believe the fires were arson partly because of the location and that there weren’t any lightning strikes that night. When the second fire started, “it wasn’t a spot fire,” caused by the first fire, department spokesman Justin de Ruyter said.

Investigators are exploring possibilities the three evening fires could be linked to the two afternoon fires, the department press release said, and all the fires “meet the same pattern,” according to de Ruyter. No suspect has been identified.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Crime Check or the Spokane Fire Department’s arson hotline at (509) 625-7199.