Arson suspect of Washington wildfire arrested

Published August 4th, 2026 - 05:59 GMT
Washington
37-year-old Aaron Farinacci (Social media) / A burned motorcycle sits in the ashes of burned out residential home in the Balboa neighborhood of Spokane, Washington, on August 2, 2026. Fast-moving fires left a trail of destruction in the northwestern US city of Spokane on Sunday, with officials reporting hundreds of structures reduced to cinders. (Photo by ERICK DOXEY / AFP)

ALBAWABA - Authorities arrested 37-year-old Aaron Farinacci late Monday after he was linked to the Washington wildfires, which displaced thousands of people and destroyed hundreds of homes, according to NBC News, citing authorities. 

Reports indicate that Farinacci was previously convicted of manslaughter. The 37-year-old was arrested with the help of a SWAT team after a judge signed a warrant alleging that Farinacci committed first-degree arson. Moreover, the man is currently being held on a $1 million bond, but information on whether he has been charged or has a lawyer has yet to be disclosed. 

Arson suspect of Washington wildfires arrested

Farinacci was arrested after a witness reported seeing a man near the Old Trails Fire, shortly after it erupted. The witness told police that he saw a man looking into the trees; they then later spotted him crouching near some grass when he suddenly "stood up and looked very nervous" and fled the scene. 

Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels revealed that Farinacci was detained the same day of the incident but was later released. Nowels added that the 37-year-old had waterproof matches and a butane lighter, which he might have used to start the fire.