2:50 PM ET
Two other fires are linked to the suspect
N’dea Yancey-Bragg
According to documents obtained by USA Today, the man suspected of starting Spokane’s fire was contacted twice by authorities in relation to other fire incidents.
The investigators reported that Aaron Farinacci had been contacted on the 8th of July 2025 by Spokane Police Department officers during an arson/fire report. No further information is provided in the charging documents about this incident, or why Farinacci may have been contacted.
A month after that, Farinacci was in contact with the law again. On August 11, 2025, Washington State Patrol agents were “pursued a suspect possible in the fire”, when they met Farinacci on a “park bench appearing to be out of breath perhaps from running”.
Court documents state that Farinacci was photographed wearing the shirt he wore when investigators halted him about one mile from where the fire started on August 1.
Farinacci was carrying waterproof matches and a lighter, but a sheriff deputy informed him that three witnesses saw him close to the fire. Farinacci claimed that the witnesses did not know the “whole thing” and denied setting the fire.
2:22 PM ET
Three Spokane Fires are caused by human activities
Dinah Voyles Pulver
Northwest Interagency Coordination Center daily reports indicate that at least six of the 49 fires currently burning in Washington and Oregon were started by humans, which includes all three in the Spokane Complex. This center coordinates resources for firefighting, aviation assistance and weather forecasts in Oregon and Washington.
Sixteen fires are still undetermined. Another 26 were caused by natural causes.
2:18 PM ET
Wildfires active in 14 States
Dinah Voyles Pulver
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there are large fires burning in 14 different states or still being monitored.
The fire center reported that while recent wildfires were concentrated in Oregon, Washington and Montana, this week, wildfires broke out in Nevada, Montana and Wyoming as well as in Idaho, Florida’s Everglades National Park and Nevada. Firefighters from Australia, New Zealand and more than 29,200 people are involved in the fight against fires.
On Monday, there were 112 fires reported across the country. This year, the number of fires is almost 10,000 higher than it was in the average year for the past decade.
1:55 PM ET
Smoke from wildfires worsens the air quality
Jeanine Santucci
Officials said that the air quality for more than 600,000 residents in areas around the Spokane Complex fires has been deteriorating.
On Tuesday, air pollution levels within 50 miles of the fires were recorded as being between hazardous and unhealthy for everyone. Parts of northwest Idaho and northeast Washington were affected by smoke. Smoke impacts are expected to persist as long as wildfires continue in Washington and Oregon. This is according to U.S. Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program.
Officials said that light winds will continue to keep smoke in the area. However, the situation will improve slightly as the afternoon approaches. Residents who are affected by the smoky atmosphere should contact their local health department to inquire about N95 masks.
When air pollution is bad, experts recommend that you stay indoors and do not exercise. Keep windows and doors closed while indoors. Air purifiers or filters can help to keep the indoor air fresh. Smoke from wildfires can lead to symptoms like burning eyes, a runny or scratchy nose, headaches, bronchitis, and difficulty breathing. People with heart or lung disease, pregnant women, people over 50, and those working outdoors are at greater risk.
1:49 PM ET
Amazon parcel in Spokane survives fire
Saleen Martin
A viral video revealed that an Amazon package in a Spokane metal mailbox was unopened over the weekend. Alex Smith, a Spokane resident, captured the viral video on Sunday.
Video shows metal mail with an opening that is drooping and melted. The brown Amazon box inside appears unburned. It also has the blue Amazon Prime tape. In the video, a burnt-out neighborhood and destroyed houses surround the package.
Smith said to Storyful, “It was an incredibly heartbreaking sight.”
Smith added: “I was also curious to see how my entire neighborhood is smashed, but that this cardboard package is the one thing left standing.”
12:00:49 PM ET
Washington State to experience a steady increase in temperature and dry conditions
Dinah Voyles Pulver
According to the National Weather Service in Spokane, winds are expected to be light until at least Wednesday. This will help firefighters battling blazes across eastern Washington and north Idaho. The weather service warned that by Saturday and Sunday, breezy conditions in Central Washington and increasingly dry weather will create critical conditions for fires.
The weather service stated that high pressure, which is lingering in the area, will bring steadily warmer, drier and lower humidity conditions every day. The weather service predicts temperatures to rise on Thursday and into Friday. Downtown Spokane will reach 95 degrees.
Multiple counties in the area are under air quality alerts.
12 pm EDT
Bird feeder videos Spokane Fire timelapse
Natalie Neysa Alund
A camera mounted on a bird feeder captured smoke and fires for 28 hours in Spokane during the first week of August.
Meredith Deve told Storyful that she had compiled the clips after being forced to evacuate her family.
This video depicts a slow spread of fire across the valley beneath her parents’ home from August 1-2.
11:51 am ET
Spokane fires raze family home to the ground
Christopher Cann
Jason Dalton was looking forward to taking his kids back to Spokane to enjoy his backyard and the swimming pool that he enjoyed as a child. This won’t be repeated.
Dalton’s childhood home, which was destroyed by a wildfire on Saturday, was one of hundreds that were destroyed.
Dalton, 35 years old, said to USA TODAY: “I am still shocked.” I’m sorry for my mother. “She lost everything.”
Dalton told us that he immediately called his mom when he learned of the fires spreading across Spokane. He was told that his mother had been out running errands, but she wasn’t allowed to return home due to road closures. Dalton’s relatives and cousins had left the house when they received emergency alerts via their mobile phones.
They returned to find the home destroyed. Only the brick chimney remained. Dalton claimed he had lost his entire collection of baby photos.
Dalton, the truck driver said: “I cannot believe it.” “I rarely dream, but I had a nightmare about losing my house. “It’s certainly having an impact on me.”
10:26 am ET
Firefighters are increasingly concerned about drones during wildfires
Jeanine Santucci
Spokane County authorities are warning residents not to use drones in order to fight wildfires. This is after aerial firefighting has been repeatedly disrupted.
Sheriff John Nowels reported that at least four drones flew directly into the path of firefighting equipment on Sunday. He said that the Federal Aviation Administration has been notified of multiple drone cases flying in a firefighting area prohibited by law. These could result in fines up to $100,000.
Nowels stated that air firefighting unit had to be ground because drones.
We are finished playing with it. “We have growing fires and need to help our firefighters,” said he.
Nowels stated that media outlets were among the perpetrators.
9:43 am ET
Washington’s primary day is upon us. The Spokane Fires: Will they affect voting?
Jeanine Santucci
Washington State’s Primary Election Day is Tuesday. Voters will be casting ballots to elect the U.S. House of Representatives and Washington State Senate, as well as local and state offices, including judicial and state offices.
The fires that have affected the Spokane region could impact voters who are heading to the polls, or trying to deliver their votes. Authorities said that at least one drop-off box is in an evacuation area, located at Indian Trail Library. County officials have advised voters to use the drop-off boxes located at North Spokane Library and Shadle park Library instead.
By logging into votewa.gov, voters can verify whether or not their ballots have reached the Elections Office.
Officials said that replacement ballots are available at all county offices or by printing them out on the site. Replacement ballots will be available at the voter service center in Spokane from 7 am to 8 pm local time Tuesday.
The U.S. Postal Service or a drop box are the only options for voters to return their replacement ballots. Postal Service, or drop boxes until 8 pm. Officials ask voters to walk into the USPS and request an hand cancellation in order to get a stamp on Election Day.
Spokane County auditor Vicky Dalton stated that “our first concern is the safety and security for residents in the evacuation zones.” We are there to help them, and make sure they have the opportunity to vote. We can provide a small bit of normalcy in a situation that is often traumatic.
9:30 am ET
Video shows raging Spokane fires
Melissa Montoya
8:30 am ET
What are the locations of Spokane’s fires?
Jeanine Santucci
Wildfires in the Spokane Complex are raging on the edge of Spokane city, Washington’s second most populous city. It has about 230,000 people. The majority of the fires occur in Spokane County where more than 550,000 residents live.
Autumn Lane Fire was the largest fire, and it burned in the northwest Spokane County area, as well as the southeast Stevens County.
7:58 am ET
What is the total amount of fire that has burned in Spokane?
Jeanine Santucci
Three main fires are burning in this area. The Old Trails Fire is one of them, as are the Autumn Lane Fire, and Fairview Fire.
As of the most recent update, there were 10280 acres that had been burned with zero containment.
Old Trails Fire: 3,621 acres of land burned
Autumn Lane Fire: 5,603 Acres Burned
Fairview Fire:1,056 acres burned
According to authorities, 17 fires are burning in Washington State covering 262,000 acres.
Dave Upthegrove, Commissioner of Public Lands in Washington State and the Pacific Northwest said: “This will be an historic fire season.”
7:36 am ET
Spokane Fires Map
Thao Nguyen
Map of Washington State showing active wildfires as crews react to fire activity, evacuation orders and ongoing fire activity.
7:24 am ET
Wildfires in the West of US are a major concern
Janet Loehrke
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the 2026 wildfires in the Pacific Northwest have burned more than 2 million acres, well ahead of the area’s historic August peak. This is due to prolonged heatwaves and dry conditions, as well as severe lightning, which was tracked by NOAA satellites.
NIFC data shows that 44,722 fires across the nation have burned more than 5,15 million acres by Monday. The total for the first half of the year is the third highest on record, behind only 2017 with 5.7 millions acres, and 2022, which scorched 5.8 million.
7:13 am ET
There were no serious injuries or fatalities in the blazes
Thao Nguyen
Benjamin Cossel is a spokesperson of the California Interagency Incident Management Team 7, and he confirmed that no injuries or deaths had occurred as of Monday. Cossel cautioned that this could change once the fire activity has subsided and crews are able to access areas which were previously inaccessible.
The mayor noted that a number of unspecified people are still missing, after fires have spread out of the forested area into residential and commercial areas. This has forced widespread evacuations as well as destroyed hundreds of buildings.
Spokane mayor Lisa Brown told a press conference that she was still evaluating the possibility of lives being lost.
Contributing to Reuters
7:03 am ET
Arson suspected in Spokane fire: Man arrested
Jeanine Santucci
Nowels stated that “a very good citizen” notified authorities when he observed a man on the roadside as he picked up someone. About 10 minutes later he noticed the man bent down on some grass, looking “nervous,” and then walking off, all in the area where one of Saturday’s wildfires began, Old Trails Fire.
Nowels reported that Farinacci had been detained, questioned, then released the same day after he was found with matches and lighters. The sheriff reported that after further investigation he had been arrested on Monday and was charged. Nowels stated that the exact spot where Farinacci was kneeling was the source of the fire. Fire investigators also determined the cause to have been a lighter or match igniting the grass.
Nowels stated that it was the citizens’ attention, awareness and willingness to speak up which led to Mr. Farinacci being apprehended relatively quickly.
Nowels stated that “he made statements while he was being detained regarding, “we didn’t have the full story” or words to that effect.”
Nowels stated that Farinacci had a previous conviction in Arizona for manslaughter. Farinacci’s attorney was not available to comment. USA TODAY reached out to Spokane County Public Defender’s Office.