By The Epoch Times | Created at 2026-08-04 13:20:23 | Updated at 2026-08-04 14:05:52
46 minutes ago
The Old Trails Fire is seen from Dwight Merkel Sports Complex, in Spokane, Wash., on Aug. 1, 2026. Young Kwak/AP Photo
A man was arrested on Monday on suspicion of arson connected to the Old Trails fire, one of three wildfires burning in Spokane, Washington, that forced more than 60,000 people to evacuate.
Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, was arrested at his residence without incident and booked into the Spokane County Jail on a first-degree arson charge, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
“This remains an active investigation, as does the investigation into the cause and origins of the Autumn Lane and Fairview Fires,” the sheriff’s office stated.
Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said in a press conference that Farinacci is currently being held on a $1 million bond, and that the suspect has a prior felony manslaughter conviction in Arizona.
It was not immediately clear whether Farinacci had been assigned an attorney.
Nowels said a witness reported seeing a man standing by the roadside near the Old Trails fire looking into the trees. When the witness returned to the area 10 minutes later, he saw the man crouching near some grass.
The witness said the man “looked very nervous” as he stood up and walked away.
Shortly after, the witness noticed smoke coming from the area where the suspect had been seen and contacted authorities. Farinacci was detained later that day about 1.5 miles from the area where the fire started, but he was ultimately released, according to Nowels.
“Mind you, a lot of the details that have come to light during the investigation were not known to the deputies who detained Mr. Farinacci that day,” the sheriff said.
Nowels said major crimes detectives were able to identify Farinacci during the investigation, develop probable cause to arrest him, and determine that the fire’s origin “was indeed exactly where the witnesses had seen Mr. Farinacci kneeling in the grass earlier that day.”
The Old Trails fire had scorched more than 3,500 acres on early Aug. 2, according to the Orcas Island Fire and Rescue. The Old Trails is part of the Spokane Complex, which also includes the Fairview Fire and the Autumn Lane Fire.
The fires have destroyed 700 buildings and led to the evacuation of 64,000 people, officials said on Aug. 3. No injuries or fatalities have been reported so far, but authorities warned that could change as teams reach previously inaccessible areas, where an unspecified number of people have been reported missing.
The Old Trails fire is seen from W. Northwest Blvd., in Spokane, Wash., on Aug. 1, 2026. Young Kwak/AP Photo
“Initially, we had approximately 290 missing person reports, and at this point we have cleared all except 14,” Cpl. Mark Gregory, a spokesman for the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, told reporters on Aug. 3. “These may not all be specifically associated with the Spokane Complex Fires.”
According to The Weather Channel, the outbreak has resulted in one of the most severe emergency responses in regional history and has burned more than 8,000 acres across Spokane County.
Savannah Hulsey Pointer contributed to this report.
