Man arrested for arson after wildfire destroys 700 buildings in Washington

Environment
4 Aug 2026 • 4:29 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Man arrested for arson after wildfire destroys 700 buildings in Washington

  • A Washington man, Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, has been arrested on suspicion of first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, one of several catastrophic wildfires near Spokane.
  • The fires have destroyed at least 700 buildings, scorched approximately 12.5 square miles, and led to the evacuation of around 67,000 people.
  • Investigators were led to Farinacci after a witness reported seeing a nervous man near where the Old Trails Fire ignited, and he was later found carrying matches and a butane lighter.
  • Farinacci, who has a previous felony manslaughter conviction in Arizona, was scheduled for his first court appearance on Tuesday.
  • While firefighters are making progress, with over 1,000 personnel battling the blazes, hotter and drier conditions are anticipated to return by midweek, though no deaths or major injuries have been reported.

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