According to a report by The Associated Press on August 7, in Spokane, Washington, a man accused of starting the 'Old Trail' fire told police that he had planned this wildfire for several weeks. The wildfire has destroyed hundreds of buildings.
37-year-old Allen Ferrell was accused of igniting the "Old Pedestrian Path" fire, one of several blazes that occurred in the Spelman area recently. These fires have destroyed over 850 buildings, demolishing entire neighborhoods and streets. Additionally, he is being charged with starting four smaller fires in July and August of 2025.
Reports indicate that the “Old Path” fire was the worst of the three fires. This fire destroyed at least 700 buildings and forced tens of thousands of people to leave their homes.
Investigators previously stated that two other fires around Spokane were also caused by arson, although it was not necessarily intentional. The exact cause is still being investigated.
The police said that the man had spent several weeks planning his crime carefully, and studied when the weather would be most suitable for arson.
In court documents submitted on Wednesday, Detective Michael Drapo of Spokane County wrote that Farinacci, after being arrested, said during the interrogation, “Fire is powerful and beautiful; objects that have experienced fire will undergo a kind of rebirth.”
Fariñacchi denied causing the ‘Old Path’ fire when first contacted by police. However, he admitted to Drapo that he was responsible for that fire, as well as other fires last year and the previous month. This led to him being charged with four additional charges of arson.
Farina was scheduled to be questioned for five counts of arson on Thursday, but his lawyer requested a mental state assessment of Farina before filing his defense.
According to reports by The Associated Press in the past, Farinachi attempted suicide after shooting and killing his father, and served approximately 10 years in prison.
Spokane District Court Judge Jeremy Schmidt stated that he would review the request for an assessment, and set the bail amount at $2 million. He ruled that Farinacci poses a threat to community safety, has a risk of absconding, and is potentially capable of committing violent crimes.
