Suspicious fires on the rise in Winnipeg: WFPS

Winnipeg firefighters are reporting an uptick in suspicious fires in the city compared to last year.

While the total number of fires in Winnipeg are down compared to 2018, suspicious blazes are up four per cent compared to the same time last year, according to numbers from the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.

“It’s certainly trending in the wrong direction,” said Mark Reshaur, assistant chief of the WFPS.

So far this year Winnipeg has seen 1,291 fires, down from the 1,364 reported by September 2018.

But 268 of this year’s blazes have been deemed suspicious, up from 231 fires last year.

In their 2018 annual report, Winnipeg police said they investigated 391 arsons last year, with just shy of  14 per cent of the cases ending in an arrest.

Reshaur says Winnipeggers can help prevent arson by taking responsibility for their property.

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“Make sure if you have a garage along the lane that it’s secured, that if you have a fence along your property that the gate is secure,” he said.

“And don’t leave combustible materials leaning up against the building or out along the lane where they’re easily accessed.”

He also recommends homeowners install motion lights.

“If you light it up people tend to move on to spots where they’re less conspicuous,” he said.

Reshaur said house fires are the most common calls received by WFPS, with the majority starting in the kitchen.

Six people have died in fires so far this year, said Reshaur.

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