New Facts: Suspect Charged With Prior Manslaughter
On August 3, 2026, authorities charged Aaron Farinacci with first-degree arson for allegedly setting the Old Trails Fire, the largest blaze in the Spokane, Washington, area. The fire started Saturday and spread quickly.
Farinacci previously served a manslaughter sentence for the 2010 killing of his father in Arizona. He was also questioned about two other fires in 2025.
Three major wildfires were burning around Spokane, destroying more than 700 buildings, with at least 400 more still unassessed. Evacuations reached about 60,000 people, including patients moved from a VA hospital.
High winds, dry grasses, and overgrown forests created explosive conditions in neighborhoods built at the forest edge. Those factors helped make these fires among the most destructive in Washington’s history.
Fire crews, including teams from California, worked to slow the spread and protect homes. Damage assessment and containment efforts are ongoing.
Synthesized from 34 sources
The ConversationCBS NewsLos Angeles TimesCoeur d'Alene PressThe Conway Daily Sun570 KVIAPNBC NewsNydailynews6abcArgusleaderNbcrightnowPotomaclocalQcnewsThe GuardianNewsnationnowAzfamilyNew York TimesSpokesmanCouriernewsWeatherforddemocratMercurynewsWashington PostCNNSalonOregonliveNPRReutersThe HillKxlyABC NewsSignalscvKremTheconversation
AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources
In the app
Read this update in Frameshift
Four stories are free on the web. The full Vault, with every timeline and brief, is in the app.