Less than a month ago, fire investigators were stretched thin by a string of three church arsons that occurred within a five-day period.
Local and federal agencies joined forces to find out who was responsible for the fires, which officials say were all set by the same person or group. They warned other places of worship to stay extra vigilant in the wake of the crimes. But then, the fires stopped.
“It’s tough to even speculate the reason behind the sudden stop,” Clark County Fire Marshal Jon Dunaway said. “It’s certainly welcomed.”
Dunaway said the arsonist or arsonists could have left the area or could be laying low for a while, but said that he and his team are still actively working to hold them responsible.
The Church Arsonist Task Force, formed after the three fires, includes investigators from the county fire marshal’s office, Vancouver Fire Department, Vancouver Police Department, Clark County Sheriff’s Office and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The first fire was reported at 3 a.m. May 25 at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Hazel Dell. That fire caused the most damage, with fire investigators estimating that nearly $2 million in structure and contents were damaged in the blaze.