Spokane Arrests 1 Arson Suspect as Fires Destroy 900 Structures and Evacuate 67,000
Updated
Updated · KUOW News and Information · Aug 7
Spokane Arrests 1 Arson Suspect as Fires Destroy 900 Structures and Evacuate 67,000
3 articles · Updated · KUOW News and Information · Aug 7
Summary
Aaron F. Farinacci was arrested on suspicion of starting the Old Trails Fire, one of three major Spokane blazes still burning after tearing through northwest neighborhoods.
Investigators say Farinacci planned the fire two weeks in advance and used a weather app to pick a day with 50 mph wind gusts and extreme fire danger.
At least 900 structures have been destroyed and 67,000 people forced from their homes, with the Balboa neighborhood largely leveled after the Old Trails Fire jumped the Spokane River.
Firefighters from Washington, California, Utah and New Mexico are working from a fairgrounds base camp, while many evacuation zones remain barricaded and some residents return on foot to search ruins.
Mayor Lisa Brown called the disaster the worst in the region's history, as residents sift through safes, family keepsakes and burned homes in what firefighters described as apocalyptic destruction.
What drove a man to intentionally ignite the most catastrophic disaster in Spokane's history using just waterproof matches and the wind?
How did a single alleged arsonist outsmart an entire region's defenses to reduce 900 homes to ashes in mere days?
With thousands evacuated and zero containment, what hidden dangers await residents as they return to sift through the ashes of their lives?
2026 Spokane Complex Fires: 10,000 Acres Scorched, 900+ Structures Destroyed, and a Regional Humanitarian Crisis
Overview
On August 1, 2026, extreme red flag conditions and intense winds fueled the Spokane Complex Fires, which erupted and quickly spread across the region. Human-caused climate change had already left local vegetation dry and primed for disaster, while a dry cold front brought dangerous winds that lofted embers far ahead of the flames. The fires, including the intentionally set Old Trails Fire, burned over 10,000 acres, damaged or destroyed more than 900 structures, and forced up to 65,000 people to evacuate. Emergency shelters were established, utilities were severely disrupted, and federal aid was requested to support recovery and rebuilding efforts.