Spokane wildfires destroy more than 700 buildings, arson arrest made

Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels announced late Monday afternoon that 37-year-old Aaron F. Farinacci was arrested on suspicion of first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire as three wildfires burned in the Spokane area. More than 700 buildings had been destroyed, and another 400 had not yet been assessed.

The arrest was tied only to the Old Trails Fire, one of the three major blazes burning across Spokane County. The other fires remained part of the broader emergency, but investigators had not linked them to Farinacci.

The fires forced mass evacuations across the region, with estimates putting the number of people who fled at about 64,000 to 65,000. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown called the disaster "the worst natural disaster the region has faced" as flames crossed into residential areas and left some neighborhoods stripped to foundations and ash.

Early counts put the loss at at least 600 structures damaged or destroyed, then later counts lifted that figure to more than 700, with some counts placing the total between 700 and 1,100 buildings. Another 400 buildings had not yet been assessed.

The Old Trails Fire had grown to about 2,500 acres by Saturday evening, driven by strong wind gusts and high temperatures in eastern Washington. Residents returning to hard-hit neighborhoods found homes leveled.