Arson Arrest as 65,000 Evacuate, Hundreds of Homes Destroyed

Law enforcement personnel in Washington state arrested a 37-year-old man on Monday on suspicion of first-degree arson in connection with the largest of three wildfires burning around the city of Spokane. Aaron Farinacci was taken into custody after a witness reported seeing him kneeling near grass where the Old Trails Fire began, according to Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels. Farinacci was initially detained near where the fire started on Saturday but released, before being taken into custody again after officers connected him to the fire. The sheriff said the suspect was found in possession of waterproof matches and a butane lighter when he was first detained. Farinacci has a previous manslaughter conviction. He is being held on a US$1 million bond. The wildfires, supercharged by drought and intense heat, have torn through the city, burning thousands of hectares and reducing hundreds of buildings to ash. Aerial reconnaissance showed that between 700 and 1,110 structures have been lost since the fires broke out over the weekend. The three fires have burned 3,248 hectares in the Spokane area, according to InciWeb, a federal interagency information system. The fires have forced approximately 65,000 people to evacuate — more than one-quarter of Spokane's population. Sheriff Nowels said authorities are attempting to make contact with 14 people whom they have failed to reach by cellphone. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said authorities are combing the city block by block to assess damages and possible hot spots, and could not tell people yet when they could return home. "It could be weeks, depending on where your home and property is," she said. The Old Trails Fire jumped the Spokane River on Saturday afternoon and crossed into the city proper. Video of the fire on Sunday showed scores of homes burned to the ground, while other houses nearby escaped practically unscathed. "Just driving around looking at the homes — it's just one of the most heartbreaking things I've ever seen in my life," Spokane resident Geoff Beadles said in an interview, after evacuating with his fiancee and two dogs. Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency on Saturday, citing drought conditions and high temperatures exacerbating wildfires. The Spokane fire has been classified as a national "highest priority" fire. Local officials said so far no one had been reported hurt, but officials have acknowledged that an unknown number of people are reported missing. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown stated, "We are assessing potential casualty numbers". Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said, "I think from a historical standpoint, this is likely the worst natural disaster in Spokane's history". Firefighters used cooler temperatures, higher humidity and thick smoke to make "significant gains" against two of the fires, but warmer temperatures were expected to resume mid-week, climbing to the mid to high-90s Fahrenheit. The state is in the midst of a record-setting, fourth-consecutive statewide drought. More than 1,000 fires have burned approximately 425,000 acres across Washington this year — the most acres burned since 2021. The governor has activated 110 members of the Washington National Guard to support firefighting operations. The suspect, Farinacci, is not believed to be connected to two other major fires in the area. The investigation into the cause of the other fires continues. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office said the suspect used matches or a lighter to start the fire.