Overview
- Law enforcement arrested 37-year-old Aaron F. Farinacci on Monday and booked him on a single count of first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, with bond set at $1 million.
- Investigators say a local witness saw a man kneeling where the blaze began, deputies later located a matching person who had waterproof matches and a butane lighter, and detectives used body-worn video and a wildland investigator’s finding that ruled out other causes to obtain a warrant.
- The Old Trails Fire was the largest of three fast-moving blazes that began on Saturday and together have burned thousands of acres, destroyed roughly 700 structures and forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate.
- Court records show Farinacci was questioned in two separate fire-related probes in 2025 but was not charged, and he has a 2012 manslaughter conviction from Arizona that officials and defense lawyers note as background to the current case.
- Firefighting and recovery efforts remain active, other fires’ origins are still under investigation, and officials warn hotter, windier weather could complicate containment and search operations while federal and state resources are mobilized.