Investigators allege the 37-year-old suspect started the largest of three destructive wildfires burning around Spokane.
SPOKANE, WA — Authorities have arrested a 37-year-old Spokane man on suspicion of first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, one of three major wildfires that destroyed hundreds of buildings and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate the Spokane area.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as Aaron F. Farinacci. Investigators obtained arrest and search warrants after determining there was probable cause to believe he started the fire, the sheriff’s office said. Farinacci was arrested without incident Monday at a home in the 2800 block of West Elliott Drive and booked into the Spokane County Jail.
The arrest marks the first announced criminal case tied to the three fires that erupted Saturday around Spokane. Authorities said the causes of the Autumn Lane and Fairview fires remain under investigation. Officials have not announced evidence connecting Farinacci to either of those fires.
The Old Trails Fire was first reported around noon Saturday near North Old Trails Road and West Euclid Road, north of Airway Heights. Strong winds drove the fire across dry land and into residential areas. The blaze later crossed the Spokane River and burned through neighborhoods northwest of downtown Spokane.
Sheriff John Nowels said a community member reported seeing a man acting nervously and bending near roadside grass close to where investigators later determined the fire began. Officers contacted Farinacci on Saturday and released him after questioning. Investigators later reviewed reports and body-camera footage and identified him again as a suspect, authorities said.
Nowels said Farinacci had waterproof matches and a butane lighter when officers initially detained him. Authorities have not publicly released complete details about the evidence collected during the investigation or the search of his residence. The accusation remains subject to review in court, and an arrest does not establish guilt.
Tips from residents, information from Airway Heights police officers and reports from sheriff’s deputies who responded to the initial fire and helped with evacuations were important to the investigation, the sheriff’s office said. The case was developed by sheriff’s Major Crimes detectives working with fire investigators from the Washington state Department of Natural Resources.
The three Spokane-area fires burned more than 10,000 acres and destroyed at least 700 buildings, according to officials. About 64,000 to 67,000 people were ordered to leave their homes as the fires spread. More than 1,000 firefighters were assigned to the blazes, which became the nation’s highest firefighting priority.
No deaths or major injuries had been confirmed as of Monday. Authorities initially received nearly 300 reports involving people who could not be reached, but most had been resolved. Fourteen reports remained open, though officials said many likely involved displaced residents who had not contacted relatives after evacuating.
Farinacci was being held on $1 million bond. Prosecutors said a formal case had been filed and that his first court appearance was expected Tuesday. It was not immediately clear whether an attorney had been appointed or retained to represent him.
The arson investigation remains active while fire crews continue working around damaged neighborhoods. Officials have not announced a cause for the Autumn Lane or Fairview fires and said additional information would be released when it becomes available.
Author note: Last updated August 4, 2026.