Woman Arrested for Allegedly Starting Forest Fire on Vancouver Island

The RCMP logo is seen outside the force's 'E' division headquarters in Surrey, B.C., on March 16, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)

A woman has been arrested and may face charges after a fire was set in a forested area of Vancouver Island, B.C.

An off-duty RCMP officer from the Port Alberni detachment reported a fire in the vicinity of Stirling Arm Forest Service Road and Canal Main Forest Road in Port Alberni, just after 6 p.m. on Aug. 6, police said in a press release.

“Police responded to the area and located an individual suspected to be responsible for the fire,” RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Alex Bérubé said in the Aug. 7 press release. “Police will be forwarding a detailed report to Crown Counsel for consideration of charges.”

The RCMP has not named the suspect, identifying her only as a 27-year-old woman.

The woman was arrested because “officers had reasonable grounds to believe she had committed a criminal act,” Bérubé told The Epoch Times in an Aug. 9 email. “The details surrounding the circumstances around the fire will be part of the judicial process.”

The suspect appeared in court on Aug. 7 and has been remanded into custody until her Aug. 21 court appearance.

The fire, approximately 0.5 hectares in size, is currently listed as under control, meaning it is not expected to spread beyond the current perimeter, according to a BC Wildfire Service interactive map.

Cost of Fires

Campfires and open burning are currently restricted across much of  B.C. due to the high heat and dry conditions across the province.

“With continued hot and dry conditions in the forecast, additional fires may be discovered, and new starts are likely,” BC Wildfire said in an Aug. 8 social media post. “We urge the public to continue following fire prohibitions.”

Anyone who chooses to ignore a fire ban can face both fines and jail time, according to a BC Wildfire Service post. Tickets issued for violating a burn ban are $1,150 while administrative penalties can cost as much as $10,000. A conviction in court can result in a fine of up to $100,000, one year in jail, or both.

“If the contravention causes or contributes to a wildfire, the person responsible may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs,” the post says. “Violators could also be held responsible for damages to Crown resources, which could be significant.”

There are currently 356 active wildfires burning in B.C., 25 of which have started since Aug. 7, a BC Wildfire Service update says.

A total of 128 wildfires are currently classified as out of control and 162 are under control. The remaining 66 are being held, which means the fires are expected to remain within the current perimeter, control line, or boundary.

“Hot and dry conditions are forecast to persist across the majority of B.C. for the remainder of the week and through the weekend,” BC Wildfire says.

“As small low-pressure weather systems move across the province, there is significant chance for thunderstorm activity with lightning and minimal precipitation. This weather will make conditions highly susceptible to new starts and will likely intensify fire behaviour at existing incidents.”