Man suspected of starting Old Trails Fire in Spokane area expected to enter plea
Aug 6, 2026, 9:14 AM | Updated: 9:16 am
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
The man accused of starting one of the fires wreaking havoc on the Spokane area will enter his plea in court Thursday.
The suspect was arrested on Monday. A 911 caller told police he saw a man acting suspiciously in the same area where the Old Trails Fire was burning.
According to court documents obtained by KIRO 7, police found the suspect with a fanny pack full of waterproof matches, a butane lighter, and some cigarettes about a mile away. He denied being in the area or having anything to do with the fire.
When officers said they had witnesses, he replied that those people didn’t know “the whole thing,” according to the documents.
According to documents obtained by the Spokesman-Review, the suspect was contacted by law enforcement last summer for two other fires, but was never arrested.
The suspect is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday afternoon. He’s currently being held on $1 million bail.
The Old Trails Fire is one of three actively burning in the Spokane area. Collectively, the fires have destroyed more than 700 buildings and forced more than 67,000 people from their homes.
The cause of the other two fires – the Autumn Lane Fire and the Fairview Fire – is under investigation. To read the most up-to-date information about the fires, click here.
