Aaron Forrest Farinacci, 37, accused of igniting the devastating Old Trails Fire in Spokane County, had his bail doubled to $2 million on Thursday, August 7, 2026. Prosecutors filed four additional first-degree arson charges, alleging Farinacci confessed to setting 25 fires in the area since 2025.

Court documents reviewed by Fox News Digital state that Farinacci admitted to monitoring weather apps to identify ideal conditions and constructing a delayed ignition device modeled after serial arsonist John Leonard Orr to start the Old Trails Fire. Initially, Farinacci denied involvement during a 90-minute interrogation following his August 3 arrest but later confessed to planning and setting the blaze.

Detectives corroborated evidence linking Farinacci to other fires, including the Aubrey White, Copper River/Meenach, Fort George, and Indian Bluff fires. During the court appearance, Judge Jeremy Schmidt found probable cause to charge Farinacci with the additional arson counts.

Spokane County Prosecutor Preston McCollam requested the increased bail, stating, "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." The judge agreed, calling the amount appropriate.

Background checks revealed Farinacci has a prior manslaughter conviction after fatally shooting his father in Arizona in 2010. He served about a decade in prison after pleading guilty in 2012 to manslaughter and aggravated assault.

A woman mourns next to a deceased dog at a burned home during the Old Trails fire in Spokane, Washington on August 4, 2026.
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