Police search for 2 men suspected of setting multiple I-5 brush fires

MARYSVILLE, Wash. – The search continues for two men who investigators believe could be responsible for multiple brush fires that started along Interstate 5 Tuesday afternoon.

WSDOT cameras captured images as brush fires started one by one along I-5. At least nine fires started within a couple of hours, and it didn’t take investigators long to notice something strange.

“Right from the beginning they were very suspicious, based on how many fires were coming out,” said Washington State Patrol trooper Heather Axtman. “The direction of the wind didn’t match where the fires were continuing.”

Later in the afternoon, investigators got just the lead they needed.

“A Snohomish County deputy did observe a light-colored Hyundai Sonata that was occupied by two men in their 50s, maybe a little bit older, that were attempting to light a fire with a flare,” said Axtman.

Axtman said investigators were able to lift a fingerprint from that flare, but it's still unclear if all the fires are connected.

Later Tuesday evening, firefighters were putting out hot spots with a WSP trooper monitoring traffic to keep them safe. Q13 FOX crews heard a crash as a white car slammed into a trooper vehicle.

Troopers arrested that driver on suspicion of DUI. Troopers said they have arrested him for DUI before.