Convicted Killer Tied To Massive Spokane Fire

Wildfire burning through a pine forest at night — Photo: Brian Gailey Photography / Shutterstock

A convicted felon is now accused of deliberately sparking Spokane’s most destructive wildfire, raising hard questions about safety, justice, and accountability.

Story Snapshot

Authorities say 37-year-old Aaron Farinacci intentionally started the Old Trails Fire and have charged him with first-degree arson.
The Old Trails Fire is the largest of three Spokane-area wildfires that destroyed hundreds of buildings and forced tens of thousands to evacuate.
Investigators say citizen tips and on-the-ground officers were key to identifying Farinacci and building probable cause for his arrest.
Farinacci, who has a prior manslaughter conviction, is being held on $1 million bail as the arson investigation continues.

How Investigators Say They Tracked Down the Suspect

Spokane County Sheriff’s Office leaders say the Old Trails Fire started around midday on August 1 near North Old Trails Road and West Euclid Road, just north of Airway Heights. A concerned resident reported seeing a man bending down in the grass in that area and later spotted smoke rising from the same spot. Deputies contacted that man, identified as Aaron F. Farinacci, and initially let him go due to a lack of evidence, but kept his name in the active investigation.

Over the next two days, Major Crimes detectives worked with state fire investigators to examine the burn area and interview witnesses. Officials say they concluded the fire was intentionally set, likely using matches or a lighter to ignite dry grass. Detectives, in coordination with county prosecutors, say they then “developed probable cause” to arrest Farinacci for first-degree arson and obtained both an arrest warrant and a search warrant for his home.

Arrest, Charges, and the Suspect’s Criminal History

On Monday afternoon, investigators and a warrant service team went to Farinacci’s residence on West Elliott Drive and arrested him without incident. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office says Farinacci was booked into the county jail on a charge of first-degree arson and is being held on $1 million bail. At a news conference, Sheriff John Nowels said Farinacci had waterproof matches and a butane lighter on him when he was arrested, items investigators believe could have been used to start the fire.

Several outlets report that Farinacci is a convicted felon with a prior manslaughter conviction from Arizona. That history is not part of the current charge, but it fuels public anger as residents watch entire neighborhoods burn and wonder how someone with a serious record ended up at the center of another tragedy. Farinacci is expected to make his first court appearance on the arson charge this week, where a judge will address bail and next steps in the case.

Impact on Spokane and What This Case Signals Nationally

The Old Trails Fire is described as the largest of three wildfires around Spokane, Washington’s second-largest city. Local and national reports say the fires have destroyed more than 700 buildings and forced over 60,000 people to evacuate, leaving many families with nothing but the clothes they carried out. For both long-time conservatives and liberals, this disaster fits a pattern they already fear: everyday people pay the price while systems meant to protect them seem slow, reactive, and easily overwhelmed.

Fire investigators note that arson cases often depend on careful scene work, witness accounts, and ruling out accidental causes, not a simple video of someone lighting a match. That means early narratives can form long before a jury ever hears the evidence. Many Americans, already skeptical of government competence and trustworthiness, will watch this case closely. They want to see if officials can not only arrest a suspect, but also clearly prove what happened and learn enough to prevent the next community from burning.