Five suspicious fires under investigation in South Okanagan, Similkameen

PENTICTON – It’s been a busy morning for firefighters in the South Okanagan and Similkameen.

Keremeos fire chief Jordy Bosscha says an 18 member Keremeos firefighting crew was dispatched to a structure fire two kilometres west of the village on Highway 3 at around 3 a.m., today, June 19.

The fire was immediately adjacent to a similar structure that burned to the ground early on June 9.

Bosscha says the building was fully involved upon their arrival. The building, which previously housed fruit pickers, was vacant at the time.

He said the the fire is suspicious and under investigation.

Around the same time this morning, B.C. Wildfire, Penticton Indian Band and City of Penticton firefighters were battling a blaze — the third one since Sunday morning — on the Penticton Indian reserve.

The fire grew to 9 hectares before firefighters were able to get a handle on it.

Penticton RCMP spokesperson Const. James Grandy says the detachment’s First Nations officer is liaising with the Penticton Indian Band and local fire departments in an investigation into the three reserve fires, all of which broke out in the early morning hours.

He says no link has yet been made to another police investigation into an arsonist who is believed to have set at least 29 wildfires up and down the Okanagan Valley since 2014.

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