RCMP suspect arsonist behind 29 Okanagan wildfires

[HunterDave]

The RCMP have released a shocking revelation of a suspected serial arsonist.

Over the past four years, Police have reason to believe 29 suspicious fires were deliberately set in Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Osoyoos, Oliver, Penticton, Summerland and Lake Country, according to a statement released by the RCMP.

The RCMP’s Intentionally Set Wildfires Task Force, along with BC Wildfire Services, began an investigation in May after “evidence gathered during the course of the investigations into these fires have led investigators to believe that they are connected and that the cause was determined to be arson.”

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.

The 29 wildfires include the following incidents stretching back to July 7, 2014:

July 7, 2014, K50209, Naramata
July 7, 2014, White Lake Rd, Penticton
July 9, 2014, Richter Pass, Osoyoos
July 15, 2014, Mt. Kobau, Oliver
July 15, 2014, Apex Rd, Penticton
July 17, 2014, Reservoir Rd / Landfill Rd, Penticton
July 22, 2014, White Lake Rd, Okanagan Falls
August 11, 2014, Chute Lake Rd, Naramata
August 11, 2014, Green Mountain Rd, Penticton
August 13, 2014, White Lake Rd, Penticton
August 19, 2014, North Naramata Rd, Naramata
September 15, 2014, Green Mountain Rd, Penticton
July 2, 2015, Canyon View Rd, Summerland
August 7, 2015, Pampas Grass Way, Oliver
August 8, 2015, Spiller Rd, Penticton
August 11, 2015, Commonage Rd, Lake Country
August 11, 2015, Beaver Lake Rd, Lake Country
August 12, 2015, Gulch Rd, Naramata
August 14, 2015, White Lake Rd, Penticton
April 9, 2016, Fairview-Cawston Rd, Cawston
August 17, 2016, Commonage Rd, Lake Country
August 17, 2016, Oyama Rd, Lake Country
July 3, 2017, Pixie Beach, Lake Country
July 15, 2017, Okanagan Centre Rd W, Lake Country
September 1, 2017, Westhills Rd, Penticton
September 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.

https://www.kelownanow.com/watercool...an_were_arson/

[KGB]

Interesting....
ok so I can see how a single idiot got drunk and decided to roast some marshmallows and set up a fire that got away.
I can see how a few idiots decided to start a grass fire...
But here we have a dedicated arsonist - or saboteurs? that was driving around for over a month deliberately starting fires! Domestic terrorist comes to mind...

[jungleboy]

I can see it being some whacked eco terrorist desperate to make the case for man made climate change. That's what all the leftist media elude to, every time there is a bad wildfire season.

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

I can see it being some whacked eco terrorist desperate to make the case for man made climate change. That's what all the leftist media elude to, every time there is a bad wildfire season.

That or some freak obsessed with fire. Wonder if it's all the same person or some sort of group.

[Scott N]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

I can see it being some whacked eco terrorist desperate to make the case for man made climate change. That's what all the leftist media elude to, every time there is a bad wildfire season.

My first thought too.

[The Cook]

probably got spanked as a child or someone trying to get enough weeks for pogy (EI)

[lmtada]

First suspect, fire Chiefs son. Need summer job. 2014-2017. Just sayin!!

[Suzukisam]

Look how far back they date. Not sure on that one being same guy

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by Suzukisam

Look how far back they date. Not sure on that one being same guy

Agreed, it could potentially be one woman.

Going back a long time does not necessarily mean multiple offenders, take note of some recent cold cases where the perps were found because some of their relatives had submitted to DNA databases for fun or geneological research. They found the Golden State serial killer that way, guy had been offending for quite a while although he cooled his heels as his age advanced.

If it's a climate change activist one wonders if they write a lot online about the subject. Perhaps even an eco-journalist?

Of course it could just be someone obsessed with fire....

[nimrod]

But this is 2018, what or who set the fires, this year, lighting might have set a few but not all,

[Dick284]

If they suspect a single ndividual for fires over multiple years, the person is akin to a serial murderer in their mental processes.

I wish the inspectors all the luck in the world, but arson is a very tough crime to prove, as very little physical evidence, and even forensic evidence is left after the fire.

[^v^Tinda wolf^v^]

They must have evidence like a certain combustible etc. Hope they catch the person. I’m getting tired of this crapola every darn year.

[huntinstuff]

I find it amusing that the RCMP cant seem to get to a farm/acreage break and enter within 3 hours, but they have an “Intentionally Set Wildfire Task Force (ISWTF)”

The Wildlands Are Targets. Acronym that one

[Bluedog]

All them roads mentioned make me think of some dam good Cougar hunting country!
Bluedog

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Dick284

If they suspect a single ndividual for fires over multiple years, the person is akin to a serial murderer in their mental processes.

I wish the inspectors all the luck in the world, but arson is a very tough crime to prove, as very little physical evidence, and even forensic evidence is left after the fire.

Who's to say it's one individual ? Could be a group with a grudge or just mischief makers.

Grizz

[HunterDave]

I have heard stories of people lighting fires just so they’d get called out and have work. Could be just rural legend......I don’t know. Whoever it is I hope that they get him and put a stop to this nonsense.

[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

I find it amusing that the RCMP cant seem to get to a farm/acreage break and enter within 3 hours, but they have an “Intentionally Set Wildfire Task Force (ISWTF)”

The Wildlands Are Targets. Acronym that one

more Huntinstuff Classic Gold right there...

[dodgeboy1979]

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

I find it amusing that the RCMP cant seem to get to a farm/acreage break and enter within 3 hours, but they have an “Intentionally Set Wildfire Task Force (ISWTF)”

The Wildlands Are Targets. Acronym that one

The Alberta wildfires group has their own investigation division that works closely with the RCMP. Every wild fire is investigated to see if it was natural or arson.

[CaberTosser]

Interesting how many were started on the same days in different locations. It could lend credence to the politically-motivated climate change nutbar theory, just in case one of their fires didn't spread they'd at least have one going.

So far as I'm aware, arsonists like to watch their handiwork, so it would seem odd to light two of them far apart and miss out on witnessing one. I believe many arsonists wind up being interviewed on scene as witnesses l. An offender lighting the fires political reasons would not necessarily care to watch them but they would be interested in keeping the fires at different locations so as to split up regional fire suppression manpower.

[Red Bullets]

Maybe it's not just one arsonist but a whole pyro cult.

Not to sidetrack from the arsonist theory. Just a thought...

It's odd there have been no reports of outdoor guerrilla pot growing operations the firefighters have encountered putting out the BC fires. I'm thinking there has to be a certain percentage of these forest fires being started by bushwhacking pot growers being lazy with campfires too.

[AB2506]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I have heard stories of people lighting fires just so they’d get called out and have work. Could be just rural legend......I don’t know. Whoever it is I hope that they get him and put a stop to this nonsense.

I recall the odd newspaper account of persons in North America deliberately setting forest fires so that they would be called out and earn fire pay.

[Imagehunter]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I have heard stories of people lighting fires just so they’d get called out and have work. Could be just rural legend......I don’t know.

Definitely not an urban legend, it happens again and again that firefighters get caught as arsonists. We had one case in the village I grew up in 30 years ago, quite the shock when you have fire after fire and someone you know suddenly gets arrested for it.

[jcrayford]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Maybe it's not just one arsonist but a whole pyro cult.

Not to sidetrack from the arsonist theory. Just a thought...

It's odd there have been no reports of outdoor guerrilla pot growing operations the firefighters have encountered putting out the BC fires. I'm thinking there has to be a certain percentage of these forest fires being started by bushwhacking pot growers being lazy with campfires too.

I think we can all agree with the above ^ statement - was at a local campground this weekend and Sunday Noon, the entire campground was clearing out. Wife and I were doing our final loop when lo and behold, "Kevin" had left his spot WITH AN ACTIVE FIRE still in the pot. I know it's contained, but if a wind had come up, there's no one there to put out any hot spots that may occur.

Nice way to end your weekend camping; "Come on honey, let's go.... Don't worry about the fire; it'll take care of itself"

ID10T. Even bigger of an ID10T because "Kevin" forgot to remove the tag from the post so I could track him down if needed, but we went back with a couple buckets of water to douse the fire.

J.

[Johnny Huntnfish]

I thought I remembered reading an article a while back that there is a radical islamist magazine (Dabiq I think https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabiq_(magazine) and this is one of the methods they called for when encouraging lone wolf attacks. They're starting to find evidence of this in the California wild fires as well.

It would be an easy, cheap and low key way to cause massive damage and civil unrest, so I wouldn't discount this as hearsay.

[dodgeboy1979]

Originally Posted by Dick284

If they suspect a single ndividual for fires over multiple years, the person is akin to a serial murderer in their mental processes.

I wish the inspectors all the luck in the world, but arson is a very tough crime to prove, as very little physical evidence, and even forensic evidence is left after the fire.

you would be surprised what you can find after a fire. just need the right tools to do the job

[ghostguy6]

Originally Posted by Imagehunter

Definitely not an urban legend, it happens again and again that firefighters get caught as arsonists. We had one case in the village I grew up in 30 years ago, quite the shock when you have fire after fire and someone you know suddenly gets arrested for it.

I was thinking the same thing when I opened this thread. Its defiantly happened before where the arsonist is a firefighter.

[Johnny Huntnfish]

I'm thinking its a secret cabal of mushroom pickers....just looking to create fungus heaven

[makin tracks]

the pot grower out stopping for a pick me up, while attending the plantation???

[bat119]

Originally Posted by Johnny Huntnfish

I thought I remembered reading an article a while back that there is a radical islamist magazine (Dabiq I think https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dabiq_(magazine) and this is one of the methods they called for when encouraging lone wolf attacks. They're starting to find evidence of this in the California wild fires as well.

It would be an easy, cheap and low key way to cause massive damage and civil unrest, so I wouldn't discount this as hearsay.

Except terrorists claim responsibility for their acts otherwise what would be the point? No terror created from just starting random fires

[AltaBorn]

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

That or some freak obsessed with fire. Wonder if it's all the same person or some sort of group.

x2. sick.