Detective says man accused of starting Spokane wildfire confessed, described his planning process

'Time-delay device' was assembled to ignite fire, detective says in court filing

A detective who interviewed the man accused of starting one of the wildfires near Spokane, Wash., says the man confessed, described his planning and explained how he made a device to ignite the blaze.

Det. Michael Drapeau said in a court filing Wednesday that Aaron Farinacci told him he had planned the Old Trails fire for about two weeks. He researched the weather to identify a day with "high winds, low humidity, sort of high heat."

Farinacci also researched a well-known serial arsonist and bought items to make a "time delay device" using notebook paper, matches, a cigarette and a rubber band, Drapeau said.

1 of 3 fires burning in Spokane area

The fire Farinacci was charged with starting is one of three burning near Spokane that have burned more than 850 homes and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.

WATCH | Sifting through the ashes in the wake of Spokane wildfires:Drapeau said Farinacci told him that "fire is powerful, beautiful, and that things that go through fire experience a kind of rebirth."

Farinacci is due in court Thursday on an arson charge.

Drapeau said Farinacci chose Saturday, Aug. 1, to start the fire because he knew winds would reach 80 km/h.

He chose the location "because he knew it 'was gonna get bad,'" the detective said.

Farinacci told Drapeau he knew the fire would become large but didn't intend for it to grow as much as it did.

He assembled a time-delay device, placed it in the grass and ignited it with a cigarette, Drapeau said.

Farinacci told the detective he then ran from the tracks toward the street.