Aaron Farinacci, 37, of Spokane, Washington, was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, the largest of three major wildfires burning through the Spokane region. Together, the three blazes have destroyed at least 700 structures, burned more than 8,000 acres and forced approximately 67,000 people to evacuate. As of Tuesday morning, none of the fires had been contained.

Farinacci was taken into custody without incident with the assistance of a SWAT team after a judge signed an arrest warrant. Authorities said a witness reported seeing a man matching Farinacci's description near the origin point of the Old Trails Fire shortly before it ignited around 10 a.m. Saturday, crouching in grass at the side of a road before standing up and walking away nervously. Deputies detained Farinacci the same day approximately a half-mile from where the fire started and found him in possession of waterproof matches and a butane lighter, but released him. By Sunday, major crimes detectives had linked him to the fire and determined that the fire's point of origin corresponded exactly to where witnesses had seen him kneeling. His bond was set at $1 million, and he was scheduled to make his first court appearance Tuesday.

Farinacci has a significant criminal history. He pleaded guilty in 2012 to manslaughter and aggravated assault in Maricopa County, Arizona, for the 2010 shooting death of his father at their Mesa home. He served approximately a decade in prison. Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney Preston McCollam said Farinacci had also been questioned in connection with arson-related behavior in the past, though he was never arrested or charged. Court documents show he was contacted by law enforcement during two separate fire investigations in 2025 — once in July near his apartment along the Spokane River and once in August during a wildfire investigation at Riverside State Park, where he was found on a park bench appearing out of breath and wearing a green T-shirt similar to the one he wore on Saturday.

Sheriff John Nowels said there is no evidence connecting Farinacci to the other two fires burning in the region. Investigators said Tuesday that the other two blazes were also human-caused, though not necessarily intentional, with exact causes still under investigation. No deaths have been reported. Cooler and calmer weather aided firefighting efforts Tuesday, though hotter, drier and windier conditions are forecast later in the week, raising concern that the fires could grow before they are brought under control.