Man Says He’s Sorry For Newkirk Road Fire 2 Wildfires Near City Contained; Cause Of 2nd Fire Undetermined

John Joseph stood in his doorway Saturday afternoon with tired, watery eyes and the television blaring behind him.

He hadn’t slept much in the last two days, he said, not since he started the fire that destroyed 600 acres in Spokane’s West Plains.

It was an accident, Joseph said, and he’s sorry.

“I’m glad that no homes burned down,” he said. “I’m sorry it’s my fault.”

The 26-year-old used a torch Thursday afternoon to cut a windshield off a boat parked at 4424 N. Old Trails Road. A hot bolt popped off, he said, and fell in the tall grass.

The incident, investigators determined Saturday, was the official cause of the Newkirk Road fire west of Riverside State Park.

Three outbuildings were destroyed, but no residences. Rain on Friday afternoon helped firefighters, who had contained the blaze by Saturday evening.

Another fire near Tum Tum also was contained Saturday, fire officials said. It destroyed three houses and consumed about 1,200 acres. The cause of that fire has yet to be determined.

However, investigators said the blaze is believed to have started on a 1.5-acre patch of grass behind a trailer owned by Dale Fox.

It took more than 900 firefighters from across the state and Canada to battle the flames. Damage from the Tum Tum fire was estimated at $330,000 Saturday morning.

In the Newkirk Road fire, Joseph so far faces a $171 fine for using spark-emitting equipment between April 15 and October 15, said Bill Fisher, the regional investigator for the Department of Natural Resources. It’s against the law to use such equipment in “non-cleared areas” during fire season, Fisher said.

Joseph also didn’t take any precautions; he failed to bring a shovel and water, Fisher said.

“He shouldn’t be out there with a torch as dry as it’s been,” Fisher said.

If found negligent, Joseph may also have to pay the cost of fighting the fire, which is estimated so far at $180,000.

“They’re not going to get anything out of me because I don’t own anything,” Joseph said, noting that his only possessions are a car and a camper.

He answered his door Saturday afternoon wearing dark blue jeans, navy shoes and a wooden cross dangling from his neck.

“It’s more than embarrassing,” he said, declining to give any information about himself. “I haven’t quite hit the shock part.”

The yellow boat Joseph had been working on was still in the back yard.

The ground beneath the boat and several old vehicles was black with dirt and ashes. Nearby, charred metal, wood and other remnants of a barn and two motor homes littered the field.

“It’s a junkyard over there,” said neighbor Dan Ruane, whose house nearby was threatened by fire Thursday. “All the neighbors have complained about it.”

It’s a wonder that the place didn’t catch on fire sooner, said Ruane’s wife, Janet. “It’s still a fire hazard.”

The Ruanes said they spent 13-1/2 hours digging a fire line Thursday to protect their home, located just 150 feet from Joseph’s. While they desperately soaked their roof and yard with water, their 15-month-old son, Elijah, sat alone inside the house.

“I was crying on the roof,” Dan Ruane said. “We battled.”

The family spent Saturday afternoon watching football on TV. But before resting, they quickly painted a sign and posted it below their mailbox: “Thank You!! Firefighters & Neighbors.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo