Paul Child and his grandson were driving near their home outside Spokane, Washington. They noticed a man standing nervously near tall grass and trees by the railroad. Mr. Child felt uneasy as the man appeared agitated when he saw their car.

Not long after returning home, Mr. Child’s daughter alerted him to nearby smoke. “I ran out the door,” he said, connecting the smoke to the man he had observed earlier.

Mr. Child and his family called 911 and readied themselves to evacuate. Meanwhile, he drove to warn neighbors of potential danger. Within 20 minutes, firefighters and a police officer arrived to a growing fire.

Authorities later detained a man named Aaron F. Farinacci, suspecting him of igniting the fire. Mr. Child confirmed to police that Mr. Farinacci was the same person he had seen near the tall grass.