Officials investigate a series of suspicious wildfires set in the Salmo area
By Castlegar Source
Fire investigators are probing the circumstances surrounding a handful of wildfires sparked just north of Salmo.
On July 24, the Salmo RCMP and the Salmo Fire Department responded alongside one another to as many as four brush fires located north west of the Hwy 3 and Hwy 6 intersection. Police believe that all four fires were human caused and have reason to believe that they may have been deliberately set.
Our investigators have been working diligently on this case, and have seized physical evidence from the fire scenes, said Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey, spokesman for the BC RCMP in the Southeast District. Fire crews worked fast to extinguish each of the fires, before they could spread.
Fire crews responding to one of the fire scenes reported spotting an unknown male fleeing the area on foot. That person of interest was described to police as wearing a pair of tan coloured pants.
Since Saturday, emergency crews have responded to three additional fires in the Salmo area. The most recent blazes included a small fire discovered at approximately 5 a.m. on July 26 at the end of Lagoon Road, a fire at about 4:30 p.m. up the Bombi, and the last at 5 p.m. near the intersection of Highway 3 and 6. Investigators are working to determine any possible connections between these latest fires and the four blazes extinguished on July 24.
Anyone with any additional information is urged to contact the Salmo RCMP at 250-357-2212. Or remain completely anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
