Aaron Forrest Farinacci, 37, was arrested on August 3, 2026, and charged with first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire in Spokane County, Washington [1, 2]. Prosecutors allege he planned the fire for two weeks and constructed a time-delay ignition device to start the blaze [2].

The Old Trails Fire burned approximately 3,200 acres and destroyed about 700 homes and other structures [2]. It is one of three major wildfires currently burning around Spokane, alongside the Autumn Lane Fire and the Fairview Fire [3, 4]. Combined, these fires have scorched more than 10,000 acres and forced the evacuation of 65,000 to 67,000 residents [1, 3, 4, 5].

No injuries or fatalities have been reported so far [3, 4]. Cooler weather and rising humidity have helped firefighters gain containment on the wildfires [1].

Farinacci was previously questioned in July 2025 about several "bus-sized" fires near the Spokane River and his apartment but was not charged then [1]. He allegedly confessed during police interrogation on August 4 to setting at least 25 fires since 2025, including named ones such as Aubrey White, Copper River/Meenach, Fort George, and Indian Bluff [2].

Farinacci faces multiple counts of first-degree arson. His bail was initially set at $1 million but was doubled to $2 million on August 6 after prosecutors filed four additional arson charges [3, 4, 2]. Spokane County Prosecutor Preston McCollam said the increased bail amount was justified by the severity of the charges [2]. Judge Jeremy Schmidt agreed with the prosecutor that the $2 million bail was appropriate [2].

Farinacci has a prior criminal record, including a 2010 homicide conviction in Arizona where he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault in 2012 [5, 2].

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson called the situation "dire," noting that many Spokane neighborhoods have been "just wiped out" by the fires [3, 4]. Gov. Jay Inslee linked the wildfires to the ongoing impact of climate change, saying, "It's our neighbors. It's our friends" affected by the crisis [5].

Farinacci is scheduled for arraignment on August 6, 2026 [3, 4].