Authorities arrested a 37-year-old man on Monday on suspicion of arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, one of several devastating wildfires burning around Spokane, Washington. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office booked Aaron F. Farinacci, who is being held on a $1 million bond. It was not immediately clear if he has legal representation.
The fires, which began Saturday, are among the most destructive in the state's history, having destroyed at least 700 structures and prompting approximately 67,000 people to evacuate. Some residents returned Monday to find their homes leveled, with only chimneys remaining in some cases.
Cpl. Mark Gregory, a spokesperson for the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, stated that the county initially received nearly 300 reports of missing people, but by Monday, all but 14 had been accounted for. Authorities believe the remaining cases are likely individuals who have not been in contact since evacuating rather than those who are truly missing.
The fires have burned about 12.5 square miles and remain uncontained. More than 1,000 firefighters, many from out of state, were on the scene by Monday, with that number expected to double in the coming days. Calmer winds and lower temperatures offered some relief to firefighters, but hot and dry conditions were forecast to return by midweek.
State officials requested an expedited emergency declaration from President Donald Trump, citing the destruction of hundreds of homes and farms. Residents have described returning to find only ash and debris, with some facing the difficult decision of whether to rebuild at their age. Many have lost vehicles and possessions in the flames, and friends and relatives have posted appeals for financial and material assistance.
The Spokane-area fires are part of a larger pattern of blazes across the Western U.S. In western Idaho and eastern Oregon, a lightning-caused fire has burned over 530 square miles of grassland, threatening over 600 homes and 800 other structures. In central Utah, a separate fire quadrupled in size over the weekend to nearly 109 square miles, killing more than 100 cattle and prompting mandatory evacuations in a portion of Fillmore.
In Spokane, the city's convention center has been converted into a shelter for approximately 400 people. Spokane Public Schools has established an emergency drop-in camp for children, and county court trials have been postponed.
Authorities warned the public against flying drones near the burned areas, as such activity could impede aerial firefighting operations.