Vancouver man accused of arson, animal cruelty in house fire
May 4-A Vancouver man is accused of setting a house on fire with four dogs inside after the homeowner attempted to evict him.
Curran Fine, 41, appeared Monday in Clark County Superior Court on allegations of harassment, first-degree arson and four counts of second-degree animal cruelty, stemming from the April 29 incident in central Vancouver.
Judge Robert Lewis ordered Fine be held without bail pending a mental health evaluation.
The homeowner told Lewis that Fine has a history of methamphetamine addiction and is typically homeless, but he had been staying in her home for some time.
Washington State Patrol troopers located Fine on Saturday walking on Interstate 5 near Northeast 179th Street. He made "excited utterances" about starting a house fire at 3512 N.E. 102nd Court, and he asked to be taken back to the home. Vancouver police met them there, according to court records.
The Vancouver Fire Department had responded two days prior for reports of flames coming from the home around 5 p.m. Firefighters found an active house fire and extinguished it. They rescued two dogs during a search of the home, according to an agency news release. The fire department did not mention additional dogs.
The fire displaced the homeowner, who was not home at the time.
She told police she met Fine 20 years ago when they went through EMT school and had become volunteer firefighters. She said she was aware Fine struggled with methamphetamine addiction. She told police she allowed Fine to live with her rent free as an act of charity, with the stipulation he remain sober and take recurring urinalysis tests, according to court records.
Fine recently relapsed, she said, and began refusing urinalysis tests. Two days before the fire and after several arguments, the homeowner slid an eviction notice under Fine's bedroom door. He slid the notice back under the door with derogatory slurs toward her, according to court records.
She told Fine he must take a urinalysis test, or she would force him to leave. She said he then allegedly threatened to kill her and her four dogs if she did so, court records state.
She told police she didn't know her home was on fire until a neighbor called her.
Unlock all stories. Stay informed.
Starting at just $1.99/week
Become a subscriber and get unlimited access to every story, plus our ePaper and app for seamless reading anywhere. Stay informed, support local journalism, and stay connected to your community.
Subscribe today
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.