Authorities in Spokane, Washington, have arrested a suspect in connection with one of three wildfires that tore through the area over the weekend of 2 and 3 August 2026. Aaron Farinacci, 37, a convicted felon, was detained at his home and charged with first-degree arson over the Old Trails fire. The blazes have devastated the city, prompting the governor to describe Spokane as a "war zone" and forcing a mass evacuation, with federal emergency relief now being sought.

Investigators say a member of the public reported seeing a man "bending down near some grass" close to where the Old Trails fire started, prompting officers to question him. He was later re-arrested after matches or a lighter were found on him, which police believe he used to start the fire. In total, the wildfires have burned around 7,000 acres, destroyed roughly 700 structures and forced the evacuation of about 65,000 people — nearly a quarter of Spokane's 230,000 residents — with no deaths or injuries reported. Evacuees have been sheltering at the Spokane Convention Center and Red Cross facilities, and Farinacci is due to make his first court appearance on Tuesday.