Spokane Arson Suspect Planned Wildfire for Weeks, Police Say
A 37-year-old Spokane man has been charged with first-degree arson after allegedly telling police he spent two weeks planning the devastating Old Trails Fire, the largest of three wildfires that have destroyed more than 850 buildings and forced roughly 67,000 people to evacuate the Washington city. According to AP News, Aaron F. Farinacci researched weather conditions on his phone to select a day with high winds, low humidity, and high heat for maximum fire spread.
A Confession to Investigators
In an interview after his arrest, Farinacci told Spokane County Detective Michael Drapeau that “fire is powerful, beautiful, and that things that go through fire experience a kind of rebirth,” according to a court filing. The detective wrote that Farinacci admitted to planning the Old Trails Fire approximately two weeks in advance, researching his weather app to predict a day that would have “high winds, low humidity, sort of high heat.”
Farinacci also allegedly researched the work of John Leonard Orr, a well-known serial arsonist, to create a “time delay device” for igniting the wildfire using notebook paper, matches, a cigarette, and a rubber band. He told investigators he always carries marijuana or cigarettes so he would have a legitimate reason to have a lighter and matches.
“He knows arson is an easy crime to get away from if you have time, and he had time,” Drapeau said.
Five Arson Charges
Farinacci is charged with five counts of first-degree arson: one for the Old Trails Fire and four for smaller fires set between July 2025 and July 2026. He allegedly admitted to setting approximately 25 fires near his apartment complex in the Spokane area since July 2025, most near the Spokane River or the Centennial Trail.
The additional charges stem from the Aubrey White Fire that ignited on July 6, 2025, the Meenach Fire on July 8, 2025, the Fort George Fire on August 11, 2025, and the Indian Bluff Fire on July 24, 2026. OPB reported that prosecutors corroborated four of the fires Farinacci admitted to setting.
The Arrest and the Witness
The arrest came after a tip from Paul Child, a 64-year-old resident who was driving with his grandson along railroad tracks northwest of Spokane when he spotted a man looking toward nearby trees. About 10 minutes later, the man was still there.
“He was bent over in the brush, acting nervous,” Child told The Associated Press. “You get the feeling this guy’s up to something.”
“No longer than 10 minutes after I got home, my daughter says, ‘There’s a fire,’” Child recalled. “My first words were, ‘That SOB started a fire!’ It was the exact spot where he was standing.”
Farinacci was initially detained by deputies about a mile from the fire origin on August 1 but released because the cause had not yet been determined. He was arrested at his apartment on August 3 after a wildland fire investigator ruled out other possible causes, including sparks from electric wires or passing trains.
“As it happens in so many critical cases, it was citizens who were paying attention to their surroundings, being aware and willing to step up and say something that led to the relatively quick apprehension of Mr. Farinacci,” Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels told reporters.
Court Proceedings and Competency Evaluation
At his arraignment on August 6, Farinacci’s defense attorney requested a competency evaluation before entering a plea. Spokane Superior Court Judge Jeremy Schmidt signed the order for the evaluation, temporarily pausing court proceedings. The judge also raised Farinacci’s bond from $1 million to $2 million, ruling that he was a risk to community safety, a flight risk, and that there was potential for a violent offense.
Farinacci was represented by Colin Charbonneau, director of the Spokane County Public Defender office, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A Troubled History
Farinacci’s background includes a decade in prison for killing his father in Mesa, Arizona, in 2010. He was charged with murder but pleaded guilty in 2012 to manslaughter and aggravated assault. According to BBC News, his defense lawyer repeatedly raised concerns about his mental health during that case, noting he had been hospitalized multiple times for psychiatric treatment.
According to the affidavit, Farinacci moved to the Copper River Apartments in the Spokane area in October 2022. His son was born in May 2025, after which he reportedly began having difficulty dealing with “life issues” and started smoking marijuana. Drapeau said Farinacci indicated this was when he became fascinated with fires and arsonists.
Devastation in Spokane
The Old Trails Fire, Autumn Lane Fire, and Fairview Fire all started on August 1, 2026, and together have burned approximately 10,436 acres. The fires are among the most destructive in Washington state history, destroying whole neighborhoods and streets. AP News reported that more than 1,500 firefighters from 24 states have been deployed to fight the blazes.
The fires forced the evacuation of nearly a quarter of Spokane’s population of about 229,000. The Spokane VA Medical Center was evacuated, with 27 patients moved to local hospitals, and Fairchild Air Force Base issued a limited evacuation order. About 400 people stayed at the Spokane Convention Center shelter. No deaths or serious injuries have been reported.
Sheriff Nowels said Thursday that it will be weeks before people can safely return to their homes in burned areas. “We are not going to be downgrading these zones in any large way for many, many more days to come,” he said. “If we let people back in and we do not have a high degree of certainty the fire lines will hold, we will put people in danger.”
One of the Worst Fire Seasons in State History
The Spokane fires are part of a broader 2026 wildfire season in Washington that has seen 16 uncontained wildfires burning more than 672 square miles and being fought by more than 7,000 fire personnel. The National Weather Service issued its first-ever “particularly dangerous situation” Red Flag Warning for Central and Eastern Washington.
“We’re looking down the barrel at one of the worst fire seasons in state history,” said Thomas Kyle-Milward, a spokesperson for the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
Washington has been dealing with severe drought and a paltry snowpack, contributing to extreme fire conditions. Approximately 80-90% of wildfires in Washington state each year are human-caused.
What’s Next
Farinacci remains in custody pending the competency evaluation, which will determine whether he is fit to stand trial. Washington state charging rules limit prosecutors to a single arson count for the Old Trails Fire despite it destroying more than 400 homes.
For residents like Matt Kincanon, who lost his home in the Old Trails Fire, the legal process offers some measure of accountability. “I hope that if it is proven that he did do this, I hope the punishment will fit the crime,” Kincanon told the BBC. “Because what he allegedly did turned over the lives of so many people.”
As firefighters continue to reinforce containment lines around the three fires, the community faces a long recovery. Karen Faggioli, 61, who lost her house and three vehicles, captured the resilience of many residents: “Why cry? What’s crying going to do? I’ve been through so many tragedies myself. This is nothing. Like I told my granddaughter, ‘We’re strong — and now we get all new things.’ I’m emotionally numb.”