A 37-year-old man was ordered held on a $1 million bond in Spokane, Washington, on Tuesday after being charged with arson for allegedly sparking a destructive wildfire. The blazes have forced 64,000 evacuations, destroyed over 700 buildings, and pushed firefighting resources across the Pacific Northwest to their limits.
Aaron Farinacci Appears in Court on Arson Charges
A Spokane resident accused of igniting the destructive Old Trails Fire made his initial virtual court appearance on Tuesday, appearing from jail where he is being held on a $1 million bond. Aaron Farinacci, 37, faces a count of first-degree arson. Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels told reporters that investigators believe the suspect used matches or a lighter to ignite a roadside patch of grass, triggering the largest of three blazes burning in the area.
According to court documents, a witness spotted a bald white male wearing a backpack and a green shirt
acting nervously near a tree line on Saturday afternoon, just as the wildfire broke out. Authorities initially detained, questioned, and released Farinacci on Saturday, but major crimes detectives arrested him again on Monday afternoon after gathering further evidence.
When officers searched Farinacci upon his arrest, they recovered a pack of cigarettes, a butane lighter, and a used box of rain ready, heavy duty waterproof matches
inside his fanny pack. Court records reviewed by the Associated Press show that Farinacci previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Arizona after shooting and killing his father following an argument in 2010.
Ten Thousand Acres Burned as Residents Flee Spokane
The three Spokane-area fires—the Old Trails, Fairview, and Autumn Lane blazes—have blackened more than 10,000 acres on the northern fringe of Washington’s second-largest city. Driven by gusting winds and tinder-dry drought conditions, the flames have destroyed over 700 buildings and forced roughly 64,000 residents to evacuate their homes.
State leaders have mobilized emergency housing, food, and search-and-rescue support. Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, speaking in an interview with NPR’s Here & Now, described parts of the city as resembling a war zone
where neighborhoods have been wiped out.
Ferguson stated that he spoke with President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to request an expedited federal emergency declaration.
Drone activity compounded the firefighting challenges on Monday, with illegal flights grounding aerial suppression operations. More than 1,000 firefighters have deployed to the region, and that number is expected to double in the coming days as the fires remain completely uncontained.
Displaced Families Seek Shelter at the Spokane Convention Center
Evacuated residents have crowded into the Spokane Convention Center, which is operating as a Red Cross shelter. Charlie Patrick, a 54-year-old disabled resident, fled her apartment on Saturday with her son, leaving behind all her possessions.
For others, returning home revealed total destruction. Angela and Wayde Deatherage evacuated shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday with their son, taking only family photo bins and heirloom rings. Roughly 30 minutes later, their security camera sent fire alerts to Angela’s phone, and Wayde received word from a neighbor that their home of nearly 22 years was gone.
It’s just ash,
Angela Deatherage said of the property. It’s like our house sunk down in the basement. … There’s just so much loss for so many people.
Uncontained Blazes Stretch Regional Resources Across the West
The Spokane emergency forms part of a broader crisis across the Pacific Northwest, where dozens of major fires have scorched Washington and Oregon, fouling regional air with smoke and soot. Across Washington alone, at least 390 square miles have burned amid severe drought and minimal snowpack.
While cooler temperatures and lighter winds offered firefighters a brief reprieve on Tuesday, state officials warned that temperatures are set to rise into the 90s Fahrenheit by midweek, threatening to complicate containment efforts on all three uncontained blazes.
