Who Is Aaron Farinacci? Suspect Arrested in Connection With Spokane’s Devastating Old Trails Fire

Authorities arrested a 37-year-old Spokane resident on Monday evening on suspicion of first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, one of three wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of structures and displaced tens of thousands of people across the region. Aaron F. Farinacci was taken into custody around 5 p.m. and is being held on a $1 million bond, according to Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance Tuesday.

The arrest marks the first break in the investigation into what officials describe as the most destructive of the three fires burning in the county. The Old Trails Fire has burned roughly 640 structures since it ignited Aug. 1, according to the sheriff’s office, and has forced as many as 65,000 residents to evacuate.

A witness reported seeing a man crouched along the side of a road near Euclid Road and Old Trails Road around 10 a.m. Saturday, shortly before the fire started, Nowels said. The witness told police the man had been looking into nearby trees before standing up and walking away, appearing nervous.

Deputies located Farinacci about half a mile from the fire’s origin point later that day and questioned him, but investigators said they lacked sufficient evidence to arrest him at the time. He was carrying waterproof matches and a butane lighter, according to authorities.

By Sunday, detectives said they had linked Farinacci to the fire scene and determined its point of origin matched the location described by the witness. A judge signed an arrest warrant Monday based on an allegation of first-degree arson, and Farinacci was taken into custody at his residence without incident.

Farinacci has a prior felony conviction for manslaughter in Arizona, stemming from a 2010 case in which he killed his father during a dispute, according to court records cited by authorities. He has no documented history of arson convictions, though Nowels said Farinacci had previously been contacted by law enforcement for arson-related behavior. It was not immediately clear whether he has retained legal counsel.

After his arrest, Farinacci told investigators, “You don’t know the whole story,” Nowels said at a Monday evening news conference.

The arrest offers a measure of accountability for a community reeling from one of the most destructive wildfire events in the region’s recent history. The Old Trails Fire alone accounts for the majority of the evacuations and structural losses reported across Spokane County, and officials say the full scope of the destruction is still being assessed. Investigators said satellite imagery is being collected from roughly 1,100 additional locations to determine the extent of residential and commercial damage, a figure expected to rise as assessments continue.

The case also highlights the role residents played in the investigation. Spokane County Prosecutor Preston McCollam said vigilant citizens who noticed unusual behavior and contacted law enforcement were central to building the case against Farinacci.

The causes of the two other fires burning in the county remain under investigation, and officials have not indicated any connection between Farinacci and those blazes.

Farinacci faces his first court appearance Tuesday, where prosecutors are expected to formally outline charges. Officials said additional charges are possible as the investigation continues, and the case remains active. Authorities have not released further details about the specific evidence that led to Monday’s arrest.

Fire crews continue working to contain the blazes amid improving weather conditions, including calmer winds and lower temperatures. Forecasters expect hot, dry conditions to return by midweek, which could complicate ongoing containment and damage-assessment efforts across the county.