Eyewitness Lead Helps Link Suspect to Spokane’s Old Trails Fire Arson

A Spokane County arson suspect, Aaron F. Farinacci, was charged with first-degree arson in the Old Trails Fire after eyewitnesses reported a bald man lingering near railroad tracks before smoke appeared. Investigators linked the blaze to dry grass ignited by an open flame, while noting wildfire arson cases require weighing multiple types of evidence. Farinacci’s prior criminal history, including a 2010 murder in Arizona, is part of the context as investigators reconstruct the fire’s origin and timeline amid evacuations and widespread destruction.