A 37-year-old man has been arrested and charged with arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire in Spokane, Washington, police said Monday. The blaze has forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate and destroyed 700 buildings.
The suspect is accused of starting the fire, which has burned more than 3,200 hectares of forest in the Spokane area, Washington's second-largest city. Firefighters have not yet contained the blaze, which has prompted evacuation orders affecting around 60,000 people.
Police announced the arrest on Monday without providing further details about a possible motive or how the fire is believed to have started. The man now faces an arson charge.
The Old Trails Fire has been one of the most destructive in the region, leaving a trail of damaged and destroyed structures. Authorities continue to battle the flames as the fire remains uncontained, and residents are still displaced. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but police have moved forward with the arson charge against the suspect.