Authorities in Spokane, Washington, have arrested a man on suspicion of intentionally setting a major wildfire that has devastated parts of the region, destroying hundreds of buildings and forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate. Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, was taken into custody Monday in connection with the Old Trails Fire, which is the largest of three wildfires burning near Spokane since Saturday.
Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said Farinacci was charged with first-degree arson and held on a $1 million bond. According to investigators, a witness reported seeing a man who matched Farinacci’s description near the fire’s point of origin, acting nervously and bent over near dry grass shortly before the blaze began. When detained, Farinacci was found carrying waterproof matches and a butane lighter. He denied setting the fire and said he had the items because he was a smoker.
The Old Trails Fire, alongside two other nearby blazes named Autumn Lane and Fairview, has destroyed at least 700 structures and forced about 65,000 to 67,000 people to evacuate—more than 10 percent of Spokane County’s population. No fatalities have been reported. The three fires have collectively burned over 8,000 acres and remain uncontained. Cooler and calmer weather briefly aided firefighting efforts on Monday and Tuesday, but hotter and windier conditions are forecast to resume.
Farinacci’s criminal history has drawn attention as authorities investigate the case. In 2010, he fatally shot his father in Mesa, Arizona, and was charged with first-degree murder. He later pleaded guilty in 2012 to manslaughter and aggravated assault and was released from prison in 2020. Court documents indicate that Farinacci was previously questioned in 2025 regarding two fire-related incidents in the Spokane area, one involving several smaller fires near his apartment and another in a state park that caused evacuations. He was not charged in those cases.
The causes of the two other wildfires burning near Spokane remain under investigation, though authorities believe they were human-caused. The state of Washington declared a statewide emergency over drought conditions, high temperatures, and winds that have increased wildfire risks across the Pacific Northwest. Smoke from the fires has led to poor air quality alerts across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, with officials advising residents to limit outdoor activities.
Local officials underscored the important role community vigilance played in Farinacci’s arrest. It was a tip from a resident who noticed suspicious behavior near the fire’s origin that helped law enforcement identify and detain the suspect. Firefighters, supported by more than 1,000 personnel including crews from outside Washington, continue battling the fires amid challenging weather and resource constraints.
As the investigation proceeds, Farinacci remains in custody awaiting a court hearing scheduled for Thursday, where formal arraignment is expected. Legal representatives from the Spokane County Public Defender’s office have been assigned to his case. The broader effort to contain the wildfires and support displaced residents continues under coordination from multiple agencies across the region.