The federal government is funding a new initiative with $780,000 aimed at lowering wildfire risks and improving forest health in the eastern Cascades this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Tuesday.

Voters will consider renewing a long-running emergency medical services levy in April, after the Spokane City Council unanimously approved putting it on the ballot Monday night. The levy generates about $8 million annually for the fire department, which has an annual overall budget of nearly $50 million.

The United States and Russia agreed Monday on a new cease-fire for Syria that will take effect Saturday, U.S. officials said, even as major questions over enforcing and responding to violations of the truce were left unresolved. Where in Syria the fighting must stop and where counterterrorism operations can continue also must be addressed.

The Spokane City Council on Monday will consider putting the renewal of a long-running emergency medical services levy on the April ballot.

Firefighters put out a two-alarm blaze at a north Spokane auto shop Thursday night.

The Spokane Valley Fire Department is still reporting a problem with deliberately set dumpster fires in the Spokane Valley area.

Wildfires

A massive warehouse fire in central New Jersey burning out of control for more than half a day has generated enough smoke to be detected by weather radar and forced some school closures.

The state Legislature should relax building codes that prevent churches from temporarily housing the homeless on bitterly cold nights.

Investigators are still looking for clues as to who set four fires in Spokane Valley in the early morning hours of Jan. 29.

Tuesday’s special election asked taxpayers to approve a number of bonds and levies for Spokane County schools and fire districts.

A Stevens County Fire District 1 bond issue is back on the ballot this month after it was discovered missing from the ballots of dozens of residents in November.

A Stevens County Fire District 1 bond issue is back on the ballot this month after it was discovered missing from the ballots of dozens of residents in November.

Investigators are working to the find cause of a Wednesday night fire that damaged a vacant home in northeast Spokane.