In brief: Fire investigators track serial arsonist

Wed., Sept. 23, 2015

From Staff And Wire Reports

Fire investigators believe a rash of brush fires set early Monday morning in east Spokane and the Spokane Valley are the work of a serial arsonist.

Firefighters from the Spokane Fire Department, Spokane Valley Fire Department and Spokane County Fire District 9 knocked down seven brush fires between midnight and 8 a.m. Monday.

The first fire reported was at 11428 E. Upriver Drive around 12:30 a.m.

Spokane Assistant Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said investigators determined the fires were human-caused, and said the pattern of the fires suggested the same person or group was responsible for multiple fires.

“It seemed like every half an hour or so we were having another fire, almost like you could follow the path of where the person or persons drove to,” he said.

None of the fires caused significant damage. Schaeffer said all three of the departments who fought the fires are investigating. Anyone with information about the arsons should call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.

Tuesday morning was relatively quiet by comparison, Schaeffer said.

“I’m somewhat hopeful that it was just a one-night anomaly,” he said.

Smoldon supervisor for Colville forest

Rodney Smoldon has been named the new forest supervisor on the Colville National Forest, which covers 1.1 million acres in northeastern Washington.

Smoldon is currently the district ranger on the forest’s Three Rivers Ranger District. He also has worked on several other national forests, including the Okanogan-Wenatchee and the Klamath.

An Eastern Washington native, Smoldon graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1985 with a degree in recreation and leisure services.

Smoldon said he will work closely with stakeholders, including the timber industry, environmental groups, local communities and other partners.

“This is where I’m from and where I began my career, so it is a great pleasure to lead the Colville and all of its amazing and talented employees,” he said in a news release.

Tribal agency gets housing grant

The Colville Indian Housing Authority has received a $487,000 federal block grant for mold remediation in tribal-owned housing units.

The housing authority will use the grant to improve ventilation and add vapor barriers to 180 structures that provide housing for 487 low-to-moderate income residents. The project also will create three jobs on the Colville Reservation.

The grant was part of $12.4 million awarded to 18 tribal communities by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to address mold in tribal housing.

Corrections chief leaving state post

OLYMPIA – Washington state Corrections Secretary Bernie Warner has announced he is leaving the department to work at a private company that runs prisons in eight states.

The department said he will be leaving his state job on Oct. 16 for a job in the private sector.

Warner started his career with the Department of Corrections 35 years ago and was appointed secretary by Gov. Chris Gregoire in 2011. He was reappointed by Gov. Jay Inslee in 2013.

His new job will be as vice president of corrections at Management Training Corp., based in Salt Lake City.

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