The arrest gives investigators a named suspect in one of several destructive fires around Spokane. Officials say citizen tips and early evacuation information helped move the Old Trails Fire case forward.
A suspect was arrested in connection with a Washington state wildfire near Spokane: Spokane County officials said investigators arrested and booked 37-year-old Aaron F. Farinacci on Aug. 3, 2026, on suspicion of first-degree arson tied to the Old Trails Fire.
The wildfire investigation and arrest matter now because the Old Trails Fire was reported Aug. 1 near N. Old Trails Road and W. Euclid Road, north of Airway Heights, while several fires have been burning around Spokane County and the City of Spokane.
Arrest tied to Old Trails Fire
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said Major Crimes detectives and Washington State Department of Natural Resources fire investigators identified Farinacci as a suspect in the Old Trails Fire and developed probable cause for an arrest.
Detectives worked with DNR investigators and the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to obtain an arrest warrant for Farinacci and a search warrant for his residence, according to the county’s Aug. 3 release.
Investigators, assisted by the Spokane County Warrant Service Group, served the search warrant at a home in the 2800 block of W. Elliott Drive. Farinacci was arrested without incident and taken to the Spokane County Jail, officials said.
The county said he was booked for Arson 1st Degree. An arrest and booking are not a finding of guilt, and the public release did not include a court date, charging document or attorney information.
What investigators have disclosed
Officials said the Old Trails Fire was first reported at about noon on Aug. 1 near the intersection of N. Old Trails Road and W. Euclid Road, just north of Airway Heights. That location places the fire in the Spokane-area corridor where residents have been dealing with evacuations, smoke and fast-changing public safety orders.
The sheriff’s office did not publicly describe the evidence that led investigators to Farinacci. It said only that detectives and DNR fire investigators developed probable cause through their investigation.
The release credited tips from residents, information from Airway Heights police officers and details from Spokane County sheriff’s deputies who responded to the initial call and conducted evacuations. Officials said that information was extremely valuable to fire investigators and helped lead to the arrest.
That detail is significant because wildfire-origin investigations often depend on small pieces of information collected quickly: who was in an area, what witnesses saw, where smoke first appeared and how the fire moved in its earliest moments.
Other Spokane fire probes continue
The Old Trails Fire is not the only fire under scrutiny. Spokane County officials described it as one of several fires devastating Spokane County and the City of Spokane.
The county specifically said the investigations into the cause and origins of the Autumn Lane and Fairview fires remain active. Officials did not say Farinacci is suspected in those fires, and the arrest announcement was limited to the Old Trails Fire.
CBS News reported that a man had been arrested in connection with wildfires near Spokane and that firefighters said hundreds of structures had been destroyed so far. That reported damage underscores why the arrest drew attention beyond a routine booking notice, though officials have not publicly tied a specific damage total to Farinacci in the county release.
For residents, the practical distinction matters: one arrest in one fire does not close the broader emergency. Fire crews and investigators still have to determine what happened in other burn areas, while communities wait for clearer damage assessments and accountability.
Why arson allegations carry weight
Wildfires in eastern Washington can move quickly when heat, dry fuel and wind line up. Around Spokane, that can put homes, roads, power infrastructure and first responders at risk in a matter of minutes.
That is why an arson allegation in a wildfire case is treated as more than property damage. The charge signals that authorities believe the fire was intentionally set or caused under circumstances serious enough to support a first-degree arson arrest, though prosecutors and courts will determine what can be proven.
The public record released so far leaves important questions open. Officials have not said how the Old Trails Fire allegedly began, what physical evidence was recovered, whether surveillance or witness statements played a role, or how investigators narrowed their focus to Farinacci.
Those gaps are not unusual in an active case. Investigators often withhold details to protect witness accounts, preserve forensic work and avoid compromising related investigations.
Community tips proved important
The county’s emphasis on public tips offers a window into how fire investigations can unfold after the flames start. The first hours of a wildfire are chaotic, with evacuations, road closures and competing emergency calls. People nearby may still hold information that becomes critical later.
In this case, officials said tips from citizens combined with information from officers and deputies at the scene helped fire investigators. That can include reports of suspicious behavior, vehicles in the area, unusual sounds, a fire’s starting point or the timing of smoke.
There is also a caution built into that message. Tip-driven cases still have to be tested through evidence, probable cause and court proceedings. A high-profile arrest can reassure a community, but it does not replace the legal process.
For now, Farinacci is the named suspect in the Old Trails Fire case, and the county says no additional information is available while the investigation remains active.
What remains unclear
The next public steps could come through prosecutors, court filings or another law-enforcement update. Those records may clarify whether formal charges are filed, what evidence investigators say supports the case and whether Farinacci enters a plea.
Residents are also waiting for clearer answers about the broader fire outbreak around Spokane. The causes of the Autumn Lane and Fairview fires remain under investigation, according to officials, and the county has not said when those findings may be released.
The clean takeaway is narrow but important: investigators say they have made an arrest in the Old Trails Fire, one Washington state wildfire in the Spokane area, while other fire-origin investigations continue. The arrest is a major development for a community hit by destructive fires, but it is not the end of the story.
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