U.S. authorities have arrested a suspect accused of deliberately igniting a severe wildfire currently burning in Washington state. The suspect has a history of fatally shooting his own father after an argument.
Foreign news agencies reported on 4 Aug 2026 that U.S. police arrested 37-year-old Aaron F. Farinacci and charged him with arson, the cause of the "Old Trails" wildfire, the largest of three wildfires currently burning in Spokane, Washington.
Officials arrested Farinacci after a tip from a citizen who spotted a man acting nervously, crouching near the roadside by the grassy area where the fire started. Officers found matches and a lighter on Farinacci during the arrest, but he denied the charges, claiming he carried them only to light cigarettes.
Nonetheless, police detained him and proceeded with a bail hearing, setting bail at a high amount of 1 million U.S. dollars.
Initial investigations revealed that Farinacci had previously shot and killed his biological father in Arizona in 2010 following an argument over "doing the dishes." He then attempted suicide but survived.
That incident led to his conviction for involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault, and he was released from prison in 2020.
Meanwhile, the wildfire in Spokane has already consumed over 41 square kilometers, destroyed at least 700 buildings, and forced approximately 67,000 residents to evacuate urgently. Fortunately, no deaths or serious injuries have been reported. Authorities believe that 14 reported missing persons are likely due to lost contact during evacuations.
President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration at Washington state's request to mobilize funding and resources. More than 1,000 firefighters are currently on the ground, with plans to double that number in the coming days amid challenges posed by extreme heat, drought, and strong winds.
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Source:apnews