Suspicious grassfires in Vernon’s Commonage; RCMP looking for witnesses

A pair of suspicious grassfires were sparked in Vernon’s Commonage Tuesday afternoon and investigators are hoping witnesses will come forward.

The first first was spotted at around 1:20 p.m., Aug. 4, near a vehicle pullout on Commonage Road south of Bench Row Road, according to a Vernon RCMP media release.

As emergency crews arrived to put out the grassfire, a second was reported behind Carlson Park in the 6500 block of Bench Row Road, which is accessible by foot through the park.

Both grassfires were extinguished, no structures were damaged and no one was hurt.

Investigators have interviewed witnesses at the scene of the fires but say there were more people who left before police arrived.

“We are urging those individuals to contact our office as it is of the utmost importance that the police speak with all witnesses,” Vernon RCMP media relations officer Cpl Tania Finn said in the release.

Anyone with information regarding these suspicious fires, including dash cam footage from Commonage Road or Bench Row Road during the time frame of 12:30pm to 2:00pm as well as any CCTV footage of the area are asked to call Vernon RCMP at (250) 545-7171.