Police investigating suspicious fires in the North Okanagan

VERNON – Police are investigating a rash of recent fires in the Vernon area.

Over the past few months, there have been more than a dozen fires in the BX area of Vernon. The BX-Swan Lake Fire Department has labelled all of them suspicious.

Now, Vernon police are confirming at least some of the fires are on their radar as well.

In a media release, RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Dan Moskaluk says officers are investigating several recent fires in the Vernon area. He does not specify how many. 

“The investigative efforts are focused on determining the cause of each fire. Should they be deemed as human caused and intentionally set, investigators will then look at efforts to identify the person(s) responsible for setting them,” Moskaluk says in the release.

A number of plain clothes and uniformed officers have been assigned to investigate the fires and are working with local fire officials.

"The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP are asking that the public remain alert to any suspicious activity that may be associated with these incidents, and to report any information that may help with these investigations,” Moskaluk says.

Anyone wishing to provide information can do so by contacting the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP at 250-260-5833 or for those wishing to provide information anonymously to do so via Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston or call 250-309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.