The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office says suspects have been detained for starting a large wildfire on the Colville Indian Reservation, in the Hellgate Nature Preserve on Thursday. At last report, the Rattlesnake fire was 2,773 acres in size and 75 percent contained. About 275 firefighters are still battling the blaze Monday.
According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, dispatch received a call Thursday afternoon around 1:30 p.m. from an alert citizen reporting a boat with several people on it was lighting fireworks across from Lincoln.
The caller said the occupants were lighting the fireworks and a short time later the hillside became engulfed in flames.