Aaron F. Farinacci of Spokane was arrested and charged with first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, the largest of three blazes burning in the area that have destroyed at least 700 buildings and displaced tens of thousands of residents. His bond was set at $1 million, and he was scheduled for a court appearance. Farinacci denied setting the fire, and no deaths have been reported from the blazes.
According to court records, law enforcement had contacted Farinacci about two fire-related incidents last year. In July 2025, Spokane police responded to reports of several large fires near his apartment in the Spokane River area. The following month, the Washington State Patrol encountered him at Riverside State Park while investigating a wildfire. In neither instance was he arrested or charged.
The arrest came after a witness reported seeing a man matching Farinacci’s description near railroad tracks overlooking trees on Saturday. Shortly after, smoke was observed rising from the area. When police stopped Farinacci roughly a mile away, he was carrying a backpack and fanny pack containing cigarettes, waterproof matches, and a butane lighter. He denied involvement and was initially released. However, a state wildland fire investigator determined the next day that the fire had started in the exact location where Farinacci had been observed, and other potential causes were ruled out.
Farinacci, age 37, served approximately a decade in prison after fatally shooting his father in Arizona in 2010. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault in that case in 2012. He completed his probation in Arizona in early 2024, though records indicated he had not completed required mental health evaluation or domestic violence treatment.
More than 1,000 firefighters from multiple states were working to contain the blazes in the Spokane area, with that number expected to increase. Favorable wind conditions earlier in the week aided firefighting efforts, though hotter weather was anticipated.
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