Authorities on Monday arrested a 37-year-old man suspected of starting one of the devastating wildfires tearing through eastern Washington state, as thousands of residents remained under evacuation orders and many wondered whether their homes had survived.
Aaron F. Farinacci was taken into custody on a first-degree arson charge in connection with the Old Trails Fire, the largest of several major blazes burning around Spokane, the Spokane County Sheriff's Office said. The arrest came two days after the fire was first reported and as crews continued battling the flames.
Detectives and investigators with the Washington Department of Natural Resources developed probable cause for the arrest after examining evidence gathered during the initial response, according to the sheriff's office.
The investigation was aided by citizen tips and by information from Airway Heights police officers and county sheriff's deputies who responded to the original call and conducted evacuations. The sheriff's office said those details helped lead investigators to Farinacci.
Authorities described Farinacci as a convicted felon from Arizona but said they had found no documented criminal history involving fires.
Sheriff John Nowels said during a news briefing that investigators would look into any other crimes Farinacci may have committed in the past. Nowels said first-degree arson was the charge supported by probable cause at this stage and cautioned that the case could change as authorities gathered additional evidence. He said the investigation remained active.
Investigators have not connected Farinacci to the two other major fires burning in the area, the Autumn Lane and Fairview fires, officials said.
Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Farinacci and a search warrant for his residence in the 2800 block of West Elliott Drive. Deputies served the warrant Monday and arrested him without incident. While detaining and searching him, authorities found a butane lighter and waterproof matches. Farinacci was booked into the Spokane County Jail and was being held on $1 million bond.
The Old Trails Fire was first reported Saturday near North Old Trails Road and West Euclid Road, and it quickly grew into the largest of three destructive fires burning around Spokane. It remained uncontained as of Monday, according to authorities.
The three fires have collectively destroyed at least 700 structures and prompted evacuation orders affecting approximately 67,000 people as of Monday, according to The Associated Press. More than 1,000 firefighters were battling the blazes across the region, and officials said the fires remained largely uncontained.
Residents have begun returning to affected areas to survey the destruction, with many left wondering whether their homes had survived the fast-moving flames. The fires have left a wide trail of damage across the region, and emergency crews remained on the scene as of Monday evening. In the hardest-hit neighborhoods, destroyed homes and charred land were visible across wide stretches of the area.
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide wildfire emergency Saturday, citing drought, unusually high temperatures and strong winds that have fueled the fires. The declaration also imposed a statewide prohibition on most outdoor and agricultural burning through Sept. 30 as a precaution against new blazes.
