Authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the largest of three wildfires devastating Spokane County, even as local churches continue opening their doors to thousands of families displaced by the flames.
Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels announced that 37-year-old Aaron Farinacci was taken into custody Monday and charged with first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, which investigators determined was intentionally set using a match or lighter. Farinacci was arrested without incident with the help of a SWAT team after a judge signed the warrant, and he is being held on $1 million bond.
Deputies had briefly detained and questioned Farinacci the same day the fire began, about a half-mile from where it started, but released him before later evidence linked him to the scene. He was found in possession of waterproof matches and a butane lighter at the time of his arrest. Spokane County Prosecutor Preston McCollam credited "vigilant citizens" who noticed something amiss and alerted law enforcement, helping build the case.
The fires Farinacci is accused of sparking have caused widespread devastation. The Spokane Complex fires have destroyed roughly 700 structures, most of them homes, and forced as many as 65,000 people to evacuate, with three separate blazes still under investigation across the county.
Amid that displacement, Spokane-area churches have continued the relief work highlighted in JubileeCast's earlier coverage - opening sanctuaries, fellowship halls, and parking lots as shelter, distribution points, and gathering spaces for families who lost everything. As the investigation into the fire's cause moves toward prosecution, that ongoing ministry work remains focused on the thousands still displaced, offering both practical help and a place to grieve together.
Related Article: Spokane Fires: Churches Open Doors as Washington Wildfires Force Thousands to Evacuate
