A man charged with setting the largest of three wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of buildings and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate in and around Spokane, Washington, previously served prison time for manslaughter in his father’s 2010 killing in Arizona.
Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, was arrested Monday on suspicion of first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, the most significant of the blazes, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. His bond was set at $1 million. As of Tuesday morning, the fires were not contained, having destroyed at least 700 buildings and prompting about 67,000 people to evacuate. Authorities have not disclosed the causes of the other two fires.
Authorities apprehended Farinacci following a tip from a community member who observed a man exhibiting nervous behavior near some grass by the roadside. While Farinacci was initially questioned and released, major crimes detectives later identified him and determined the fire had originated at the location described by the witness. Detectives found matches and a lighter when they detained Farinacci, Sheriff John Nowels stated.
"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," Nowels said.
Farinacci was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday. Information on whether he has an attorney who could speak on his behalf was not immediately available.
In 2010, in Mesa, Arizona, Farinacci, then 21, shot and killed his father during an argument over washing dishes, police reported at the time. He also shot himself but survived. Records indicate he was charged with murder but pleaded guilty in 2012 to manslaughter and aggravated assault. He was released from prison in 2020.
The Old Trails Fire, which began Saturday northwest of downtown Spokane, eventually crossed the Spokane River and impacted several neighborhoods. By early Tuesday, the three fires had burned approximately 16 square miles. Firefighting conditions were anticipated to worsen Wednesday due to shifting winds and temperatures expected to reach the 90s.
Some residents returned Monday to find their homes destroyed, with only chimneys remaining in some instances. "There’s nothing to save," said Miriam Sim, 76, who, along with her husband, surveyed the ruins of their home where they had lived since 2005.
In one neighborhood, blackened vehicles, a twisted boat, and melted recycling bins were among the remnants. Despite the destruction, some adjacent properties with green lawns were spared.
"Hundreds of people have completely lost their homes and farms, and many are prohibited from returning to their homes or neighborhoods as crews continue to extinguish smoldering embers," Washington’s congressional delegation wrote Monday in a request for an expedited emergency declaration from President Donald Trump, which he approved.
Cpl. Mark Gregory, a spokesperson for the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, stated that nearly 300 reports of missing people were initially received, but by Monday, all but 14 had been cleared. Authorities indicated the remaining individuals were likely out of contact due to evacuation, not necessarily missing or in danger.
More than 1,000 firefighters, many from out of state, had arrived by Monday, with that number expected to double in the coming days. These fires are among dozens across the Western U.S. that are straining the resources of federal, state, and local agencies. Approximately 390 square miles of land has burned across Washington, which has been experiencing severe drought conditions and a low snowpack.
Authorities issued warnings against flying drones near the burned areas, citing potential delays to aerial firefighting operations.
Angela and Wayde Deatherage, both 49, evacuated their home Saturday afternoon, taking only a few bins of family photos and heirloom rings. Approximately 30 minutes later, their security camera sent fire notifications to Angela’s phone. Wayde Deatherage returned by early evening to find their house destroyed. He assisted a neighbor by directing a hose to spray their property, which survived.
"It’s just ash," Angela Deatherage said of their home, where they had lived for nearly 22 years. "It’s like our house sunk down in the basement. ... There’s just so much loss for so many people."
Karen Faggioli, 61, who is recovering from breast cancer, learned from a relative that her house and three vehicles had been destroyed, along with her daughter's nearby home. "Why cry? What’s crying going to do? I’ve been through so many tragedies myself," Faggioli said. "This is nothing. Like I told my granddaughter, ‘We’re strong — and now we get all new things.’ I’m emotionally numb."