Twenty-nine fires over the last four years have been deliberately set in the Okanagan, according to an RCMP task force.
The majority of these fires were lit in interface settings, said RCMP staff sergeant Annie Linteau. One of these fires, which occurred on July 15, 2017, in Lake Country, destroyed a number of homes.
Linteau said no one was injured or killed, but the potential for the loss of life was considerable.
In May 2018, the Southeast District RCMP created the Intentionally Set Wildfires Task Force to investigate intentionally set fires and the person or persons responsible for them. According to police, the task force will not be bound by jurisdictional and inter-agency boundaries.
The 29 wildfires include, in part, the following:
- July 7, 2014, K50209, Naramata
- July 7, 2014, White Lake Road, Penticton
- July 9, 2014, Richter Pass, Osoyoos
- July 15, 2014, Mt. Kobau, Oliver
- July 15, 2014, Apex Road, Penticton
- July 17, 2014, Reservoir Road / Landfill Rd, Penticton
- July 22, 2014, White Lake Road, Okanagan Falls
- August 11, 2014, Chute Lake Road, Naramata
- August 11, 2014, Green Mountain Road, Penticton
- August 13, 2014, White Lake Road, Penticton
- August 19, 2014, North Naramata Road, Naramata
- September 15, 2014, Green Mountain Road, Penticton
- July 2, 2015, Canyon View Road, Summerland
- August 7, 2015, Pampas Grass Way, Oliver
- August 8, 2015, Spiller Road, Penticton
- August 11, 2015, Commonage Road, Lake Country
- August 11, 2015, Beaver Lake Road, Lake Country
- August 12, 2015, Gulch Road, Naramata
- August 14, 2015, White Lake Road, Penticton
- April 9, 2016, Fairview-Cawston Road, Cawston
- August 17, 2016, Commonage Road, Lake Country
- August 17, 2016, Oyama Road, Lake Country
- July 3, 2017, Pixie Beach, Lake Country
- July 15, 2017, Okanagan Centre Road W, Lake Country
- September 1, 2017, Westhills Road, Penticton
- September 1, 2017, Old Princeton Highway, Summerland
Anyone who has any information about any of the 29 wildfires or who may have seen anyone suspicious around the area to phone a designated tip line at 1-855-685-8788 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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