Aaron Farinacci, a 37-year-old Spokane resident, appeared in court via video call from jail on Tuesday after being charged with first-degree arson in connection with the destructive Old Trails Fire, according to BBC reports. Farinacci is accused of knowingly and maliciously
starting the wildfire, which is considered the most destructive of three blazes burning in and around Washington state’s second-largest city, as detailed by NPR.
Aaron Farinacci Arraigned on Arson Charges in Spokane
During his virtual appearance in county court, Farinacci did not enter a plea to the first-degree arson charge. His bail is set at $1 million, and his next court date is scheduled for Thursday, according to NPR. Court records reviewed by Reuters indicate it was not immediately known whether Farinacci had obtained legal representation for the fire charge.
Evidence and Witness Reports Connected to the Old Trails Fire
The Old Trails Fire began on Saturday afternoon when the blaze jumped the narrow Spokane River and swept into wooded suburban neighborhoods and parkside areas on the northern fringe of the city, destroying homes and melting cars. According to NPR, a citizen tip and subsequent witness reports led investigators to a suspect. A witness described seeing a bald white man wearing a backpack and a green shirt near a tree line looking nervous at the time the wildfire started.
Authorities initially stopped and questioned Farinacci near the scene on Saturday, where he denied starting the fire or being in the area where it originated, claiming witnesses who saw him did not know the whole thing.
He was initially released, but major crimes detectives and investigators took him back into custody on Monday as more details emerged.
According to charging documents cited by BBC and NPR, officers found a pack of cigarettes, a butane lighter, and a used box of rain-ready, heavy-duty waterproof matches inside Farinacci’s fanny pack. While Farinacci told officers he used the matches to light a cigarette, Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels stated that fire officials eliminated other potential causes, such as electrical infrastructure and train activity, and determined the fire was likely ignited by matches or a lighter in vegetation. Court records also reveal Farinacci previously came under scrutiny in two other arson investigations for fires last summer, though he was never charged in those cases.
Background and Broader Wildfire Impacts in Spokane
Court records cited by BBC and Reuters note that Farinacci has a prior manslaughter conviction. At age 21, he pleaded guilty to shooting and killing his father in Arizona following an argument, and was subsequently sentenced to 12 years in prison before being released in 2020. Sheriff Nowels stated that Farinacci is not believed to be connected to the two other major fires burning in the Spokane area.
The combined blazes in Spokane have destroyed hundreds of buildings, forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate, and blackened thousands of acres. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson described the disaster to BBC as a nightmare situation
and stated it was likely the worst natural disaster in Spokane history, while also characterizing parts of the city as a “war zone” to NPR. Local shelters, including the Spokane Convention Center operated by the Red Cross, have taken in displaced residents while firefighters continue working amid fluctuating weather conditions.