Washington DC [US], August 4 : A man was apprehended on Monday, suspected of igniting one of three wildfires that displaced more than 65,000 residents over the weekend in Spokane County, Washington.
According to The New York Times, the suspect, 37-year-old Aaron F Farinacci, faces one count of first-degree arson, Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels announced. Sheriff Nowels noted that law enforcement officers had an initial interaction with Farinacci on Saturday afternoon following a tip from a local resident near the origin point of the Old Trails fire.
Investigators determined that the Old Trails fire was intentionally set, likely using matches or a butane lighter to ignite dry grass. That fire was one of three blazes, alongside the Fairview and Autumn Lane fires, that swept through sections of Spokane on Saturday and Sunday.
Upon his arrest, Farinacci had a butane lighter and waterproof matches in his possession, Sheriff Nowels stated during a press conference, the NYT reported.
Sheriff Nowels explained that a local resident reported seeing a man leaning down in the grass near North Old Trails Road and West Euclid Road in the northern suburbs of Spokane, close to where the fire started.
"At that point, the male stood up and looked very nervous, according to our citizen witness," the sheriff noted.
The resident returned to his residence, the sheriff added, "and soon after saw smoke coming from the area."
Deputies stopped Farinacci roughly a mile and a half from the fire's origin shortly after receiving the report. They questioned him and verified his identity with the reporting witness, but ultimately released him at the scene to assist with urgent evacuation efforts as the blaze intensified, the NYT reported.
Sheriff Nowels stated that the responding deputies were unaware of the nascent arson investigation at the time. Investigators later used body-camera footage recorded by those deputies to identify Farinacci on Monday.
The NYT reported that the fires have destroyed over 700 structures, a total emergency crews expect to grow. While no fatalities have been confirmed, the sheriff noted earlier Monday that officials were attempting to account for 14 individuals who had previously requested evacuation support as the blazes spread.
Farinacci is being held on a $1 million bond. It remained unclear late Monday whether he had secured legal counsel.
Court records from Maricopa County, Arizona, show that Farinacci pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and manslaughter in 2012 following an initial charge of first-degree murder in connection with his father's death, the NYT reported.
Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney Preston McCollam indicated that the investigation remains ongoing and that additional charges could be filed. Officials are encouraging any potential witnesses in the Spokane area to step forward.
"This arrest was the result of the diligent work of vigilant citizens who were noticing things that were different, who actually reported it," the NYT reported McCollam as saying.
Meanwhile, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson met with members of the Colville tribe on Monday.
In a post on X, the governor shared his video message and said the tribe, based in Nespelem, around 100 miles northwest of Spokane, has been "heavily impacted" by fires.
"We've made our request to FEMA for an emergency declaration, and we're hoping to get a positive response soon. If we do, it'll help communities like this," Ferguson stated.