Three wildfires have burned more than 10,000 acres, destroyed at least 700 buildings and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes in and around Spokane, creating one of the most destructive fire emergencies in Washington state history.
The Old Trails, Autumn Lane and Fairview fires broke out Saturday north and west of the city and are being managed together as the Spokane Area Fires. About 67,000 people have evacuated, and the fires remained uncontained in the latest full incident update. Officials said hundreds of additional structures were damaged or still being assessed.
The Old Trails Fire started northwest of Spokane near Airway Heights before crossing the Spokane River and burning into residential areas, including the Indian Trail and Balboa neighborhoods. The Autumn Lane Fire spread near Nine Mile Falls and Suncrest, while the Fairview Fire threatened communities around Mead. Earlier incident mapping placed the three fires at a combined 8,026 acres, but later surveys raised the total above 10,000 acres.
Some evacuation orders were reduced Monday as crews slowed the fires’ forward movement. Several areas of north Spokane and Mead moved from Level 3, “Go Now,” to Level 2, “Be Set,” or Level 1, “Get Ready.” A Level 3 order remained near Painted Rocks and Rutter Parkway as crews worked to protect homes along the Autumn Lane Fire. Officials urged residents to check county evacuation maps because boundaries were changing quickly.
The fires also disrupted hospitals, schools and military facilities. The Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center closed after its campus entered an evacuation zone, and veteran patients were transferred to other hospitals. Fairchild Air Force Base issued limited evacuation orders for personnel and families living in Level 3 areas. More than 400 evacuees stayed overnight at the Spokane Convention Center, which was operating as a Red Cross shelter.
Authorities announced Monday that Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, of Spokane, had been arrested in connection with the Old Trails Fire. He was booked on suspicion of first-degree arson and held on $1 million bond pending an initial court appearance Tuesday.
Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said a resident reported seeing a man bending near roadside grass close to Euclid and Old Trails roads before the fire began. Deputies initially detained and released Farinacci on Saturday. Detectives later reviewed body-camera footage and other evidence and arrested him Monday. Authorities said he had matches and a butane lighter when first detained.
Nowels credited the arrest to residents, saying “it was citizens who were paying attention to their surroundings” who helped investigators identify the suspect. The causes of the Autumn Lane and Fairview fires remain under investigation.
No deaths or major injuries had been confirmed as of Tuesday morning. The sheriff’s office initially received nearly 300 reports involving people whose locations were unknown. All but 14 had been cleared by Monday, and authorities said the remaining cases were more likely communication gaps among evacuees than confirmed missing-person cases.
More than 1,000 firefighters, including crews brought in from other states, were assigned to the Spokane fires. Officials expected that force to grow as additional resources arrived. Fire managers also reported 26 drone incursions Sunday, forcing aircraft to suspend operations whenever unauthorized drones entered the fire zone.
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell said the Spokane complex had become the nation’s highest firefighting priority.
“We are not out of danger,” Cantwell said. “The next couple of days will be challenging.”
Cooler temperatures and lighter winds gave crews a brief opportunity to strengthen fire lines through Tuesday. Forecasters expected hotter, drier and windier conditions to return later in the week, raising the risk of renewed fire growth.
Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide wildfire emergency and said federal grants had been approved to help cover eligible firefighting costs. FEMA authorized assistance for the Fairview, Autumn Lane and Old Trails fires as state and local agencies continued damage assessments.
