A system and method for identifying an arcing event in electrical distribution equipment. The system includes memory for storing an arcing radio frequency characteristic indicative of an arcing event generated in electrical distribution equipment and a noise radio frequency characteristic indicative of background electrical noise and a sensor for detecting radio frequency signals resulting from the arcing event and propagating wirelessly from the electrical distribution equipment. The system also includes a processor for processing the radio frequency signals detected by the sensor to extract radio frequency characteristics from the detected signals and including a comparator for comparing the extracted frequency characteristics to the arcing radio frequency characteristic and the noise radio frequency characteristic stored in memory to identify occurrence of an arcing event. The system also includes an arc alarm generator for generating an arc fault signal indicative of the occurrence of the arcing event.