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No charges laid in wildfires

No charges have been laid in connection to several Central Okanagan wildfires this past summer.

This year was the worst wildfire season in British Columbia's recorded history, with more than 1.2 million hectares burned and more than 65,000 people displaced.

The Central Okanagan saw its fair share of wildfires through the summer, starting in June and carrying into September.

While several of the fires were human caused, with some confirmed as arson, police have yet to lay any charges.

The first wildfire to hit the area was the Blue Grouse wildfire which started on June 13. The fire grew to two hectares in size before helicopters, air tankers and ground crews got the fire under control.

The man who first saw the fire and called 911 said an unattended campfire appeared to be where the fire started, and a tent, full of belongings, was near the fire pit.

While investigators have yet to release an official cause of the fire, the witness said at the time that it was pretty obvious to him.

On July 15, a wildfire tore through Okanagan Centre, forcing the evacuation of 300 people and destroying eight homes.

On July 26, Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said the blaze was set intentionally and police were looking for CCTV footage of the area.

Police believe another blaze was set intentionally on July 30, this time on Knox Mountain. While the fire only reached 0.75 hectares in size before helicopters and ground crews got it under control, it burned within one kilometre of homes.

At the time, Cpl. Moskaluk said they had received several descriptions of a possible suspect, but as of Tuesday, no one has been charged.

On Aug. 24, another large wildfire tore through the Joe Rich area, at Highway 33 and Philpott Road, growing to 465 hectares and forcing the evacuation of more than 1,000 people.

The fire is believed to have started at the side of Highway 33, but no official cause has been released.

The following week, on Sept. 2, the Finlay Creek wildfire broke out between Peachland and Summerland, eventually growing to 2,224 hectares and forcing the evacuation of dozens of properties.

At the time, the BC Wildfire Service said it would be difficult to determine the cause of the large blaze.

Cpl. Moskaluk said the investigations into those five fires are still ongoing, but he had no updates.

A person found responsible for starting a wildfire can be held accountable for all related damages and costs associated with fighting the fire.

A person found guilty of arson with a disregard for human life could face life in prison.  



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