RCMP believe wildfires dating back to 2014, from Oliver to Lake Country, share suspicious cause
Police in B.C.'s Okanagan Valley are asking the public for help investigating a series of suspicious wildfires that they believe were set by an arsonist.
Over the past four years, 29 suspicious fires were set in Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Osoyoos, Oliver, Penticton, Summerland and Lake Country, according to a statement released by the RCMP.
The majority of these fires were lit in "interface settings," where homes are close to forests or grasslands, said RCMP Staff Sgt. Annie Linteau.
"One of these fires, which occurred on July 15, 2017, in Lake Country, destroyed a number of homes. Thankfully, no one was injured or killed but the potential for the loss of life was considerable," said Linteau.
In May 2018, the Southeast District RCMP's Intentionally Set Wildfires Task Force was set up to investigate the suspicious wildfires and try to identify a suspect.
"Evidence gathered during the course of the investigations into these fires have led investigators to believe they are connected and that the cause was determined to be arson," said a statement released by police.
The 29 wildfires include, in part, the following:
July 7, 2014, K50209, Naramata
July 7, 2014, White Lake Road, Penticton
July 9, 2014, Richter Pass, Osoyoos
July 15, 2014, Mt. Kobau, Oliver
July 15, 2014, Apex Road, Penticton
July 17, 2014, Reservoir Road / Landfill Road, Penticton
July 22, 2014, White Lake Road, Okanagan Falls
Aug. 11, 2014, Chute Lake Road, Naramata
Aug. 11, 2014, Green Mountain Road, Penticton
Aug. 13, 2014, White Lake Road, Penticton
Aug. 19, 2014, North Naramata Road, Naramata
Sept. 15, 2014, Green Mountain Road, Penticton
July 2, 2015, Canyon View Road, Summerland
Aug. 7, 2015, Pampas Grass Way, Oliver
Aug. 8, 2015, Spiller Road, Penticton
Aug. 11, 2015, Commonage Road, Lake Country
Aug. 11, 2015, Beaver Lake Road, Lake Country
Aug. 12, 2015, Gulch Road, Naramata
Aug. 14, 2015, White Lake Road, Penticton
April 9, 2016, Fairview-Cawston Road, Cawston
Aug. 17, 2016, Commonage Road, Lake Country
Aug. 17, 2016, Oyama Road, Lake Country
July 3, 2017, Pixie Beach, Lake Country
July 15, 2017, Okanagan Centre RoadW, Lake Country
Sept. 1, 2017, Westhills Road, Penticton
Sept. 1, 2017, Old Princeton Hwy, Summerland
Anyone with information about the suspicious fires is asked to call the Intentionally Set Wildfires Task Force's designated tip line at 1-855-685-8788 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.