Teen arrested over string of Washington state arson fires

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A teenager who said he was unhappy with his family's recent move to Washington state was charged Wednesday with setting nearly two dozen fires in vacant homes and parched grassland outside Spokane over the past three weeks, fire officials said. The 16-year-old male suspect, who was not identified because of his age, was charged with multiple counts of arson in connection with the 23 blazes set since Sept. 9 in suburbs south of Spokane, the second-largest city in Washington. "We are highly confident that he is responsible for the arson fires," Spokane County Fire District 8 Chief Tony Nielsen said during a news conference Wednesday. The boy has admitted to starting the blazes, telling investigators his family recently moved to Washington from Missouri and he had not made friends and was unhappy with his new life. One fire was started with paper from a homework assignment, officials said. A majority of the fires were set in exceedingly dry grassland, causing concern that a blaze could be fanned by wind and trigger a massive wildfire. The arsonist also burned down two unoccupied model homes, causing $700,000 in damage, authorities said. About 20,000 people live in south Spokane County where most of the blazes were set, fire officials said. Felony arson charges in Washington state can carry sentences of jail terms from 3 months to life in prison. (Reporting by Victoria Cavaliere; Editing by Paul Tait)