A Spokane County judge raised Aaron Forrest Farinacci’s bail to $2 million on August 6, 2026, after prosecutors filed four additional first-degree arson charges. Court documents allege Farinacci confessed to setting 25 fires in the area since 2025, including the Old Trails Fire. Prosecutors also allege he monitored weather conditions and used a delayed ignition device. His arraignment was delayed after his defense requested a mental competency evaluation.
The Old Trails Fire began August 1 in the Spokane, Washington, area and burned more than 3,200 acres. It destroyed about 700 homes and other buildings and led to the evacuation of more than 60,000 residents. The allegations remain subject to court proceedings, and Farinacci has not been convicted of the charged offenses.
| 1) | Expanded charges and higher bail |
| 2) | Alleged confession and investigative evidence |
| 3) | Scale and impact of the Old Trails Fire |
| 4) | Competency review and next court steps |
| 5) | Prior conviction and broader case context |
Expanded charges and higher bail
Prosecutors in Spokane County added four first-degree arson counts against Aaron Forrest Farinacci during a court appearance on August 6, 2026. The counts relate to fires investigators say were connected to him since the previous summer. Judge Jeremy Schmidt found probable cause to proceed on the additional allegations.
Spokane County Prosecutor Preston McCollam asked the court to increase bail because of the seriousness and number of the charges. The judge approved the request, raising bail to $2 million. The decision followed allegations that Farinacci was responsible for multiple fires, including the blaze that caused extensive destruction in the Spokane area.
“I am asking the court to increase bail or bond in this amount to $2 million, given the gravity of these charges, given the addition of four separate arson counts.”
Alleged confession and investigative evidence
According to an arrest affidavit, Farinacci initially denied involvement in the Old Trails Fire during a 90-minute interrogation after his August 3 arrest. The documents allege that he later confessed to planning and igniting the fire. Investigators also said they found evidence linking him to the Aubrey White, Copper River/Meenach, Fort George and Indian Bluff fires.
Court documents further allege that Farinacci admitted setting 25 fires in the area since 2025. Investigators said he monitored weather applications to identify favorable conditions and checked weather information while constructing a delayed ignition device. The device was allegedly made with paper, matches, cigarettes and rubber bands and was modeled after one associated with serial arsonist John Leonard Orr.
The documents also allege that Farinacci planned the Old Trails Fire for two weeks and sometimes ignited fires at the same time to distract responders and spread emergency crews more thinly across the area. These claims are allegations presented in court documents and will be tested through the legal process.
Scale and impact of the Old Trails Fire
The Old Trails Fire started on August 1, 2026, in and around Spokane, Washington. The fire burned more than 3,200 acres and destroyed approximately 700 homes and other structures. More than 60,000 people were evacuated as authorities responded to the expanding blaze.
The damage made the fire the central incident in the criminal investigation. Prosecutors allege Farinacci deliberately planned the ignition and used weather information to select conditions that could support its spread. The investigation then broadened as detectives examined other fires that they said showed links to the same suspect.
Competency review and next court steps
Farinacci’s arraignment was delayed after his defense requested a mental competency evaluation. The evaluation is intended to determine whether he is fit to understand the proceedings and assist his attorneys in preparing a defense. The request does not resolve the factual allegations or determine whether he committed the charged offenses.
The court’s probable-cause finding allows the additional charges to move forward while the competency issue is considered. Bail remains set at $2 million under the judge’s ruling. Further proceedings will address the evaluation and the formal handling of the arson case.
Prior conviction and broader case context
Background checks cited in court records show that Farinacci previously was convicted in Arizona in connection with the fatal shooting of his father in 2010. He pleaded guilty in 2012 to manslaughter and aggravated assault and served about a decade in prison.
That prior conviction is part of the background considered in the case, but it is separate from the current Washington allegations. The present charges concern the Old Trails Fire and other fires that investigators say were set in the Spokane area. Farinacci remains accused, rather than convicted, in those cases.
| Number | Key Point |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bail was raised to $2 million after four additional first-degree arson charges were filed. |
| 2 | Court documents allege Farinacci confessed to setting 25 fires since 2025. |
| 3 | The Old Trails Fire burned more than 3,200 acres and destroyed about 700 structures. |
| 4 | A defense request for a mental competency evaluation delayed the arraignment. |
| 5 | Investigators cited alleged links to four other fires and a prior Arizona conviction. |
Summary
The Washington case against Aaron Forrest Farinacci expanded after prosecutors added four arson charges and presented allegations of a confession involving 25 fires. The judge’s $2 million bail ruling reflects the scope of the accusations and the destruction attributed to the Old Trails Fire. The case will now proceed alongside a defense-requested competency evaluation, while the allegations remain unresolved in court.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to bail in the case?
A Spokane County judge increased Farinacci’s bail to $2 million after prosecutors filed four additional first-degree arson charges.
What do prosecutors allege Farinacci confessed to?
Court documents allege that he confessed to setting 25 fires in the area since 2025, including the Old Trails Fire.
Why was the arraignment delayed?
The defense requested a mental competency evaluation to determine whether Farinacci is fit to stand trial, delaying the arraignment.
How severe was the Old Trails Fire?
The fire burned more than 3,200 acres, destroyed about 700 homes and other buildings, and prompted the evacuation of more than 60,000 residents.
