Vernon officials investigate suspicious backyard grass fire

VERNON – Authorities in Vernon are investigating another suspicious fire, this time in a resident’s backyard.

Fire crews were called to the 800 block of Mt. Bulman Place about 2 a.m. Monday to fight a backyard grass fire.

Deputy fire chief Jack Blair says the fire was quickly contained and the only damage was to a child’s playhouse, set up close to where the fire started.

RCMP spokesperson Gord Moendyk says police are actively investigating the incident alongside fire officials.

“Where it started definitely makes it suspicious,” Molendyk says. “There’s no real reason for an ignition.”

He says the residents weren’t home when the fire broke out, but a neighbour noticed the smoke and phoned it in.

Because the investigation has only just begun, Molendyk says it’s to early to tell if the fire is connected to a rash of suspected arsons in the city over the last few months. He does say that there are aspects of this fire “that do not fit with the other fires we’ve been investigating.”

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infotelnews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.