The bail for Aaron Forrest Farinacci, the suspect accused of starting the Old Trails Fire in Spokane County, was doubled to $2 million Thursday. This decision followed the filing of four additional first-degree arson charges and prosecutors' claims that Farinacci admitted to setting 25 fires in the region since 2025.
Prosecutors allege that Farinacci, 37, monitored weather apps to find optimal conditions for setting fires and constructed a delayed ignition device for the Old Trails Fire. During a court appearance Thursday, Judge Jeremy Schmidt found probable cause for the new charges, which stem from fires allegedly set since last summer.
Court documents indicate Farinacci initially denied setting the Old Trails Fire following his Aug. 3 arrest but later confessed to planning and igniting the blaze. Detectives also reported corroborating evidence linking Farinacci to other fires, including the Aubrey White, Copper River/Meenach, Fort George, and Indian Bluff fires.
"I am asking the court to increase bail or bond in this amount to $2 million, given the gravity of these charges, given the addition of four separate arson counts," Spokane County Prosecutor Preston McCollam stated in court. The judge agreed, deeming the requested amount appropriate.
Farinacci's arraignment was postponed after his defense team requested a mental competency evaluation to assess his fitness to stand trial. The expanded charges come as the Old Trails Fire, which began Aug. 1, caused widespread destruction. The fire burned over 3,200 acres, destroyed approximately 700 homes and other structures, and led to the evacuation of more than 60,000 residents.
Documents also state that Farinacci admitted to a two-week planning period for the Old Trails Fire. He allegedly built a time-delay device using paper, matches, cigarettes, and rubber bands, modeled after a device used by serial arsonist John Leonard Orr. Authorities also claim Farinacci deliberately set simultaneous fires at other times to divert emergency response crews.
Background checks revealed Farinacci has a prior manslaughter conviction for fatally shooting his father in Arizona in 2010. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault in 2012 and served approximately a decade in prison.