BBC News
· collected 2026-08-04 · by Lauren Turner, Brandon Drenon and Christal Hayes
Aaron Farinacci, a 37-year-old Spokane resident, has been arrested on suspicion of arson for starting a large wildfire in Washington state that has forced over 60,000 people to evacuate and destroyed more than 700 buildings. He was previously linked to two other fire investigations last year and has a manslaughter conviction from 2010 for shooting and killing his father when he was 21 years old. Farinacci is being held on a $1 million bond after authorities found him near the scene of the latest blaze with matches, a lighter, and cigarettes. The wildfires in Spokane are among 16 total blazes burning across Washington state, with no deaths or injuries confirmed but potential for more loss of life still present.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
- Published
A man arrested on suspicion of arson in a large wildfire in Spokane, Washington, was previously linked to two other fire investigations last year.
Aaron Farinacci, 37, was allegedly seen kneeling near grass at the site of the latest blaze and was later found to have matches and a lighter, the Spokane County Sheriff said.
uncertain
Sheriff → publish → matches
The fire is the largest of three burning around the north-western US state's second-most-populous city, forcing more than 60,000 people to evacuate and destroying more than 700 buildings.
asserted
fire → burn → buildings
None of the fires has been contained near Spokane, a city of some 230,000 people about 280 miles (450 km) east of Seattle.
asserted
None → contain → Seattle
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said it was a "nightmare situation", adding: "This is likely the worst natural disaster in Spokane history."
asserted
This → say → history
No deaths or injuries have been confirmed.
asserted
deaths → confirm → ?
But the city's mayor Lisa Brown said there was still "the potential for lives to be lost".
asserted
lives → say → ?
Authorities are trying to make contact with 14 people they have been unable to reach by mobile phone, but are not yet considered missing.
asserted
they → try → phone
Sheriff John Nowels said it was likely many of them did leave but had lost signal or had depleted phone batteries.
asserted
many → say → batteries
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.
uncertain
fires → accord → resources
Firefighters have made progress against two of them, but while Tuesday saw lighter winds and cooler weather, temperatures could rise again later this week.
uncertain
temperatures → make → winds
Farinacci, who was arrested over the Old Trails fire, was being held on a charge of arson in the first degree.
asserted
who → arrest → degree
He was held on a $1m (£744,000) bond.
asserted
He → hold → bond
He appeared in court on Tuesday via video call, but did not enter a plea to the charge.
asserted
He → appear → charge
Residents reported seeing Farinacci near some train tracks before they saw flames in the area, according to charging documents.
uncertain
they → report → documents
Authorities stopped Farinacci near the scene.
asserted
Authorities → stop → scene
He was found with a pack of cigarettes, a butane lighter and a box of what authorities called "heavy duty waterproof matches", say the court papers.
asserted
papers → find → what
He spoke with authorities and denied starting the fire or being in the area where it started, saying witnesses who saw him didn't know "the whole thing".
asserted
who → speak → thing
He was initially let go by authorities as they investigated the cause of the blaze.
asserted
they → let → blaze
Fire officials eliminated other possible causes, like train activity or electrical infrastructure, and found it likely to be caused by vegetation with ignition by matches or a lighter.
asserted
it → eliminate → matches
Court records reveal Farinacci came under scrutiny from authorities in two other arson investigations for fires last summer, though he was never charged.
asserted
he → reveal → fires
Sheriff Nowels said the Spokane resident also has a manslaughter conviction.
asserted
resident → say → conviction
Farinacci, then aged 21, shot and killed his father in 2010, according to court records cited by US media outlets.
uncertain
Farinacci → shoot → outlets
He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was released from prison in 2020.
asserted
He → plead → 2020
Buildings, including homes and businesses, have been destroyed, with videos from the city showing flames tearing through houses as helicopters fly above, trying to put out the flames.
asserted
helicopters → include → flames
Resident Anna Andreachi, who has lost her home, told BBC News partner CBS News: "All of our memories are gone.
"
asserted
All → lose → memories
My dad just died, and all of his stuff was still in there, too."
asserted
all → die → stuff
One man who saved his home by digging a fire line said he felt "survivor's guilt" after his neighbour lost theirs.
asserted
neighbour → save → theirs
"We're going to open our home to our neighbours," Joe Cvancara said.
asserted
Cvancara → go → neighbours
"I know it's going to take a long time to rebuild."
asserted
it → know → time
More than 900 firefighters have been assigned to the Washington fires, with reinforcements expected from other states soon.
asserted
reinforcements → assign → states
Wildfires have also been burning north of Washington state in Canada's British Columbia, where more than 8,000 people have been evacuated and over 230 homes have been destroyed.
asserted
homes → burn → Columbia
It comes as the province's interior region deals with extreme drought conditions, and as temperatures in the Okanagan are expected to hit a high mid-30C (86F).
asserted
temperatures → come → mid-30C
More than 100 fires were started last week alone amid the hot and dry weather, officials in British Columbia said.
asserted
officials → start → Columbia
Scientists have said that human-induced climate change makes the warm, dry conditions that lead to wildfires more likely - as well as leading to more frequent and intense heatwaves and potential summer droughts.
asserted
that → say → heatwaves
