The suspect in the Spokane wildfire admits to starting the fire that forced the evacuation of 65,000 people and destroyed 800 buildings
Court documents also indicate that the defendant allegedly started 25 fires in the vicinity of his residence since July 4, 2025. His defense team has requested that authorities conduct a mental health evaluation.
Debris from a home destroyed by the fires in Spokane.
The man accused of starting the most destructive wildfire recently recorded in the northwestern United States admitted to investigators that he carefully planned his actions over approximately two weeks.
Aaron Farinacci, 37, was arrested on Tuesday near Spokane, in the state of Washington, where three intense fires broke out over the weekend.
According to AFP, Farinacci, who appeared in court on Thursday with a shaved head, a mustache and a yellow prison uniform, faced an increase in his bail from $1 to $2 million. According to court records, the defendant served nearly a decade in prison for the murder of his father and was released in 2020.
Society
Three major wildfires remain active in Spokane, keeping thousands of people on edge
Diane Hernández
He confessed to his fascination with fire
Authorities have identified him as the alleged perpetrator of the so-called Old Trails Fire, the most devastating of the three fires. Fueled by strong winds, the flames swept through entire neighborhoods in Spokane and forced the evacuation of some 65,000 people, in addition to destroying around 800 buildings.
During police questioning, Farinacci confessed to his fascination with fire and stated that "things that pass through the flames undergo a kind of rebirth." He explained that he chose Saturday to start the fire because he knew it would be windy, with gusts of up to 50 miles per hour, and that the weather conditions were "ideal" for spreading the flames. He added, however, that he did not anticipate the fire would reach such a large scale.
The court document also states that the defendant allegedly started 25 fires in the vicinity of his residence since July 4, 2025. His defense team requested that authorities conduct a mental health evaluation.
Some progress, but weather poses a threat this weekend
Firefighters have made partial progress over the past 48 hours in containing the fires surrounding Spokane, a city of about 230,000 residents located four hours from Seattle. So far, no deaths linked to the fires have been reported. However, authorities are warning that conditions may worsen this weekend, with temperatures and wind speeds expected to rise.
The investigation remains open as emergency crews work to contain the remaining hot spots and prevent them from reigniting.
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