Spokane arson suspect appears in court as wildfire investigation continues
Aaron Farinacci, 37, was charged with first-degree arson for allegedly igniting the Old Trails Fire and made his first virtual court appearance; bail was set at $1 million.
A Spokane County judge set bail at $1 million on Tuesday after Aaron Farinacci, a 37-year-old convicted felon, was charged with first-degree arson for allegedly starting the Old Trails Fire, the most destructive of three blazes burning around the city. Farinacci appeared virtually from jail; his next hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
Sheriff John Nowels said a citizen tip and a witness description of a "bald white male" near a tree line on Saturday led investigators to detain Farinacci early in the probe. Detectives later re-arrested him after finding a pack of cigarettes, a butane lighter and a box of waterproof matches in his fanny pack. Farinacci told officers the matches were used to light a cigarette, not to start a fire.
Court records show Farinacci previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Arizona and was linked to a 1995 shooting of his father. Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the Spokane wildfires, which have burned about 10,000 acres, destroyed roughly 700 structures and displaced 65,000 residents.
The fires have prompted evacuations of businesses, a Veterans Affairs hospital campus and other facilities, with evacuees sheltering at the Spokane Convention Center. No deaths or injuries have been reported.
Governor Bob Ferguson described the situation as a "war zone" and said he has requested a federal emergency declaration to provide housing, food and search-and-rescue assistance.