A convicted felon once tied to a killing now stands accused of lighting one of the wildfires that turned parts of Spokane into a burning maze of ash and twisted metal.
Story Snapshot
- Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, was arrested for first-degree arson in the Old Trails Fire.
- The fire hit as Spokane County fought multiple blazes that destroyed hundreds of structures and forced mass evacuations.
- Farinacci has a prior felony manslaughter conviction in Arizona tied to his father’s death.
Arrest in the Middle of a County Under Fire
Spokane County did not get a slow warning before flames raced through dry land and neighborhoods. The Old Trails Fire was one of several fires that turned western edges of the city and nearby county roads into emergency zones, with smoke thick enough to darken the sky and send families running for their cars.
As crews tried to hold fire lines, detectives say they were already following a trail that pointed to a single suspect for one of the blazes.
A man has been arrested on a charge of arson in the first degree in connection with the Old Trails Fire in eastern Washington, according to police. The fire is one of three major fires burning in Spokane County. Fire officials have said the causes of the fires are unknown, and th pic.twitter.com/gb4gh0G4p6
— 41NBC / WMGT-DT (@41NBC) August 4, 2026
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office reports that Major Crimes detectives, working with Washington State Department of Natural Resources fire investigators, developed probable cause to arrest 37-year-old Aaron F. Farinacci for first-degree arson tied to the Old Trails Fire.
The fire was first reported around midday near North Old Trails Road and West Euclid Road, north of Airway Heights, after flames appeared along the roadside and began chewing through nearby fuel. In that chaos, a local resident’s quick call to police turned out to be a key piece.
Citizen Tip, Roadside Encounter, and the Path to Probable Cause
Investigators say the case started when a citizen saw a man bending down along the side of the road near the Euclid and Old Trails intersection on Saturday. That same witness later spotted the man again while driving home and contacted the Airway Heights Police Department.
An Airway Heights officer soon found the man about a mile and a half from where the fire started, talked with him, took down his information, and let him go at the time. That contact, plus other tips from citizens and deputies working evacuations, became part of the puzzle detectives would piece together over the next days.
The sheriff’s office says investigators spent the following days gathering evidence and building a case before moving in for the arrest. Working with the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, detectives obtained both an arrest warrant and a search warrant for Farinacci’s home on West Elliott Drive.
A small team from the county’s warrant service group, drawn from the special weapons and tactics unit, served the search warrant and took Farinacci into custody without incident. Deputies then booked him into the Spokane County Jail on a first-degree arson charge, with bail set at one million dollars.
Wildfire Destruction and a Felony Past
The Old Trails Fire did not burn in isolation. County officials say it was one of several wildfires that destroyed hundreds of homes and other structures and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate across Spokane County.
Sheriff John Nowels has said that dozens of people were initially listed as unaccounted for, and damage stretched across miles of burned-out neighborhoods as families waited to learn if anything was left standing. In that setting, any hint of a human hand behind the flames hits a nerve for people who already feel their communities are under siege.
Authorities also confirm that Farinacci is a convicted felon with a past that raises even more alarm. Sheriff Nowels told reporters that Farinacci has a prior felony manslaughter conviction from Arizona tied to the 2010 killing of his father.
Local media in Spokane note that he has had previous contacts with law enforcement for fire-related behavior, including reckless burning, though not prior fire convictions.
From a law-and-order view, that pattern supports the sheriff’s decision to act quickly and treat him as a serious public safety risk while the case moves forward.
Active Investigation and What Comes Next
The sheriff’s office stresses that the Old Trails Fire investigation is still active, along with probes into other major fires like the Autumn Lane and Fairview blazes. Officials have not yet released a full list of evidence they say links Farinacci to the ignition point, beyond the witness account, roadside contact, and follow-up investigation.
Fire origin and cause work often takes time, as investigators sort through burn patterns, possible accidental sources, and weather conditions to support charges that must stand in court.
For people in Spokane County, the arrest is both a sign of resolve and a reminder of how fragile basic order can feel when flames roll toward homes. Many residents look at cases like this and ask simple questions: why was a man with a manslaughter conviction and reported prior fire issues out and able to stand beside dry brush with matches and a lighter?
Whatever the courts decide about Farinacci’s guilt, the message from Spokane law enforcement is clear: they intend to treat intentional fire-setting during a community disaster as one of the most serious crimes there is.
Sources:
apnews.com, spokanecounty.gov, khq.com, abc15.com, youtube.com, livemint.com
