Officials now estimate 846 structures burned in Spokane Complex fires; ‘not a high likelihood’ anyone killed

Fire officials now estimate at least 846 structures burned in the Spokane Complex fires.

At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, public information officer Tom Stokesberry said that number is subject to change. Earlier estimates pegged losses at 700 to 1,100.

The trio of fires broke out Saturday as unprecedentedly dangerous weather – hot, dry and extremely windy – plagued the Spokane region, quickly leading to one of the worst disasters in Spokane County history.

Even with hundreds of structures gone, Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said there’s “not a high likelihood there’s been a fatality,” though he acknowledged it’s difficult to confirm.

“How do we account for someone who might have lived in these affected homes who … doesn’t have anybody looking for them, doesn’t have somebody who regularly accounts for them?” Nowels said.

In the immediate aftermath of the fire, 14 people were unaccounted for, though Nowels stressed that they weren’t considered missing. Those people have since been confirmed safe.

Nowels on Monday announced the arrest of 37-year-old Aaron Farinacci, who is accused of setting the Old Trails fire, but the causes of the other two fires in the complex – Autumn Lane and Fairview – are still being investigated. Nowels said Wednesday it’s possible one of them was accidentally set by a human.

“We do believe at least one is likely an accidental ignition,” Nowels said without specifying which fire.

Firefighters are making steady progress on the fires.

All three fires have primary containment lines, and crews are working to strengthen the lines and do aggressive mop-up near homes and structures, the morning update from California incident management team 7 said.

The fires were burning a combined 10,436 acres as of Wednesday night, a slight downgrade in size from the 10,546 estimated earlier in the day. Better mapping often leads fire officials to change the reported size of a fire.

The Autumn Lane and Old Trails fires have reached 13% containment each, and the Fairview fire has reached 5% containment.

Autumn Lane is the most active fire, the update said, but firefighters were able to keep it within its established area Tuesday night while strengthening the perimeter. Crews working the Old Trails fire put out a 2.5-acre spot fire outside the containment lines.

Aerial resources remain a vital part of the Spokane Complex fires operation. No aerial obstructions were reported in the Temporary Flight Restriction area Tuesday.