US authorities have arrested a 37-year-old man, Aaron Farinacci, on suspicion of arson in connection with the Old Trails fire, one of three major blazes burning around Spokane, Washington. He has been charged with first-degree arson and is being held on a $1 million bond. Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels told reporters that a witness allegedly saw Farinacci kneeling in grass where the fire is believed to have started.

The arrest came as firefighters continued to battle blazes that have scorched large areas around Spokane, a city of about 230,000 people near the Idaho border. According to the federal interagency fire information system InciWeb, the fires have burned a combined 8,026 acres (3,248 hectares). Officials said aerial assessments indicate between 700 and 1,110 structures have been destroyed since the fires erupted over the weekend.

Authorities reported that approximately 65,000 people have been displaced by the fires. No injuries have been reported, although officials are attempting to contact 14 people they have been unable to reach by mobile phone. Sheriff Nowels said they are not currently considered missing.

Scientists say human-caused climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of wildfires by driving higher temperatures, prolonged drought, and drier vegetation. Daniel Swain, a climatologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said eastern Washington had experienced one of its warmest winters on record, resulting in a severe snow drought that helped set the stage for this year's fires.

Extreme heat and wildfire conditions are also affecting other parts of the world. Heat alerts remain in place across much of Japan, while South Korea recorded its hottest temperature on record. Wildfires have forced evacuations in parts of Greece and continue to threaten areas of Spain and France. In North Africa, firefighters have also battled major blazes in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.

Source: www.aljazeera.com