At least 700 buildings were destroyed as three fast-moving fires forced about 67,000 people to evacuate the Spokane area.
SPOKANE, Wash. — Residents began returning to burned neighborhoods as authorities announced an arson arrest connected to the largest of three Spokane-area wildfires, adding a criminal investigation to a disaster that has displaced tens of thousands of people.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, was arrested Monday on suspicion of first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire. The fire began Saturday northwest of Spokane and spread into neighborhoods, contributing to a regional emergency that destroyed at least 700 buildings and led about 67,000 residents to evacuate.
The arrest did not lessen the immediate demands facing firefighters and displaced families. Crews continued battling the Old Trails, Fairview and Autumn Lane fires while residents waited for information about evacuation orders, damaged property and missing relatives. Officials said the three fires had burned about 16 square miles by early Tuesday.
Farinacci was taken into custody at a residence on West Elliott Drive and booked into the Spokane County Jail. His bond was set at $1 million. Authorities said his first court appearance was expected Tuesday, but it was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on the allegation.
The Old Trails Fire was reported around noon Saturday near North Old Trails Road and West Euclid Road, north of Airway Heights. Pushed by dry conditions and strong winds, it moved from open land toward populated areas, crossed the Spokane River and damaged neighborhoods northwest of downtown Spokane.
Some evacuees returned Monday to properties where homes, cars and personal belongings had been destroyed. In heavily damaged areas, residents found collapsed buildings, burned vehicles and lots covered with ash. Officials were still assessing the losses because fire activity and unsafe conditions limited access to some neighborhoods.
No deaths or major injuries had been confirmed as of early Tuesday. Spokane County had received nearly 300 reports concerning people who could not be contacted, but officials said all but 14 had been resolved by Monday. Authorities cautioned that the remaining cases could involve evacuees who had not yet reconnected with relatives rather than people known to be missing in the fire zone.
More than 1,000 firefighters had arrived by Monday, including crews sent from outside Washington. Officials expected that number to increase as firefighters worked around homes, roads and utility infrastructure. Calmer winds and lower temperatures provided a temporary opening for crews, though hot and dry weather was expected to return.
The fires remained uncontained Monday. Firefighters focused on protecting structures, strengthening control lines and reaching areas where the damage had not been fully documented. Emergency officials also warned that unauthorized drones could interrupt the use of firefighting aircraft and slow operations above active fire zones.
The arrest resulted from a joint investigation by Spokane County major crimes detectives and fire investigators with the Washington state Department of Natural Resources. Sheriff John Nowels said a community member reported seeing a man near the area where the Old Trails Fire started. Officers spoke with Farinacci during the early response but initially released him.
Detectives later reviewed officers’ reports and body-worn camera footage and returned their attention to Farinacci, according to the sheriff. Authorities said investigators determined that the fire began near the location described by the witness. The sheriff also said Farinacci had matches and a butane lighter when detained.
Officials have not announced a suspected motive or released a detailed account of the evidence they believe establishes that Farinacci started the fire. He has not been convicted, and the allegation will be considered through the court process. The causes of the Fairview and Autumn Lane fires remain under investigation, and authorities have not connected Farinacci to either blaze.
For residents, the arrest was only one development in a continuing emergency. Evacuation restrictions, damage inspections and firefighting operations remained in effect across the area as families began weighing whether damaged homes could be repaired or would need to be rebuilt. Officials said both the fire response and the Old Trails criminal investigation were continuing.
Author note: Last updated August 4, 2026.