Overview
- Spokane County detectives arrested 37‑year‑old Aaron F. Farinacci on Monday and booked him on a count of first‑degree arson with bond set at $1 million.
- Authorities say a motorist’s tip and later witness identification placed a man at the precise spot where the Old Trails Fire began and investigators found waterproof matches and a butane lighter on the suspect.
- A state wildland fire investigator reported the fire started in the same area the witness saw the man and ruled out other causes, prompting detectives to obtain arrest and search warrants.
- The Old Trails Fire is the largest of three fast‑moving blazes that have destroyed at least 700 structures, forced roughly tens of thousands of people to evacuate and required more than 1,000 firefighters with containment still low.
- Officials say there is no current indication linking the suspect to the other two Spokane‑area fires and those probes remain active while state and federal emergency aid and weather shifts will shape short‑term recovery and firefighting efforts.