Hunt for wildfire arsonist

UPDATE: 12:15 p.m.

A grass fire on Knox Mountain posed an immediate risk to area residents and police have already received multiple tips.

"A variety of descriptions of possible suspects were given to police, and at this time the investigation is ongoing," said Cpl. Dan Moskaluk.

No structures were damaged as a result of the fire.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is being asked to contact the Kelowna RCMP at 250-762 3300 or at Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

ORIGINAL: 10 a.m.

Kelowna RCMP are working to determine if an intentional Knox Mountain fire and multiple arson fires in Lake Country were set by the same person or people.

Lead investigator Kevin Hamilton said a time-lapse video posted on Castanet is “very interesting,” showing an individual at the scene just a few minutes before the fire took over a section of the mountain park.

“We’ve examined the scene, and we don’t know yet if it is linked with the other fires … I am speaking about the other fires in the geographic area, like up in Lake Country,” said Hamilton.

The Knox fire started just after 2 p.m. Sunday, about three quarters of the way up the mountain, and was .75 hectares in size.

Firefighters contained the blaze with the help of two air tankers and bucketing helicopters, along with three BC Wildfire Service initial attack crew members and 20 KFD firefighters.

RCMP are conducting interviews and have a meeting later today to discuss the multiple arson fires in the area during the past month.

“When I went up (Knox Mountain), it was probably about 10 minutes after it got called in. There was a lot of people coming down, and If anyone saw anything, contact us,” said Hamilton.

Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity is urged to call police.