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A 37-year-old man has been charged with first-degree arson for allegedly starting the largest of several wildfires that have forced tens of thousands of people from their homes in and around Spokane, Washington. Aaron Farinacci was arrested on Monday and accused of setting the Old Trails fire, which has scorched nearly 4,000 acres and is one of three major blazes burning in the region.
Coverage comparison
The arrest was reported by the BBC and The Guardian, with both outlets noting that Farinacci had a prior manslaughter conviction. The Guardian also reported that Farinacci was previously questioned in connection with two other fire investigations last year, according to court documents.
Authorities said Farinacci was identified by witnesses who saw him kneeling in grass near where the blaze began over the weekend. He was later found in possession of waterproof matches and a butane lighter. The Spokane County Sheriff, John Nowels, credited alert citizens with helping to secure a quick arrest.
Farinacci has denied setting the Old Trails fire, according to the Guardian. He was being held on a $1 million bond, as reported by the BBC, and was expected to make his first court appearance on Tuesday.
Key claims
- Farinacci, 37, was charged with first-degree arson for setting the Old Trails fire, which started Saturday northwest of downtown Spokane, according to the Guardian and the BBC.
- The fire forced more than 67,000 people to evacuate, as reported by the Guardian, while the BBC put the number at more than 60,000. The discrepancy was not reconciled in available reports.
- More than 700 buildings have been destroyed, with another 400 yet to be assessed, the BBC reported.
- No deaths or injuries have been confirmed, the BBC reported.
- Farinacci had waterproof matches, cigarettes, and a butane lighter in his possession, according to the Guardian.
- Farinacci served roughly a decade in prison for manslaughter and aggravated assault, the Guardian and BBC reported.
- The fires burning around Spokane have scorched more than 10,000 acres, the Guardian reported.
- Washington state's entire congressional delegation wrote to President Donald Trump urging an expedited emergency declaration, the Guardian reported.
- Hundreds of homes, businesses, and other structures have been destroyed, the Guardian reported.
"As it happens in so many critical cases, it was citizens who were paying attention to their surroundings, being aware and willing to step up and say something that led to the relatively quick apprehension of Mr Farinacci," Nowels said, as quoted by the Guardian. "This was fantastic, very quick work by everybody involved."
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson called the situation a "nightmare," adding: "This is likely the worst natural disaster in Spokane history," as reported by the BBC. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said there was still "the potential for lives to be lost" and that it was too early to say when people might be able to return home.
Authorities are trying to contact 14 people they have been unable to reach by mobile phone, but they are not yet considered missing, the BBC reported.
The three fires in the city – Old Trails, Fairview, and Autumn Lane – are among a total of 16 wildfires in Washington state, according to the state's Department of Natural Resources, as reported by the BBC.
Crews have made progress against two of the fires, but cooler weather is forecast to give way to rising temperatures later this week, the BBC reported.
In one Spokane neighborhood, the Guardian described blackened vehicles, a boat twisted by heat, and melted plastic recycling bins. Across the street, lawns remained green and houses were spared, as residents continued to run hoses or sprinklers to water their properties.
Miriam Sim, 76, told the Guardian: "There's nothing to save," as she and her husband surveyed the ruined home where they had lived since 2005.