Spokane arson suspect appears in court as massive wildfires devastate the city

Aaron Farinacci, a 37-year-old Spokane resident with a prior manslaughter conviction for killing his father, made his first court appearance on a $1 million bond after being charged with first-degree arson for the Old Trails Fire. Sheriff John Nowels explained that investigators believe Farinacci ignited a strip of roadside grass with a match or lighter, sparking a blaze that merged with a state park fire and swept through suburban neighborhoods, destroying over 700 homes and prompting the evacuation of roughly 64,000 people.

The Old Trails Fire is one of three simultaneous fires that have scorched more than 10,000 acres on Spokane’s northern edge, while the origins of the other two remain unknown. Fire spokesperson Tom Stokesberry noted that illegal drone flights have grounded firefighting aircraft, and an extra 1,100 firefighters are on their way to bolster the response. Cooler weather and lighter winds are expected to aid containment, but rising temperatures later in the week could complicate efforts. No deaths have been reported, though the disaster underscores the broader drought-driven wildfire crisis across the Pacific Northwest.