Man (29) arrested for deliberately setting three fires near Sea to Sky Highway

A 29-year-old man faces arson charges after allegedly starting three fires near the Sea to Sky Highway in late August. Police and wildfire officials confirmed all three blazes have been extinguished.

Arson arrest near Cheakamus Canyon as B.C. wildfire season peaked

A 29-year-old man was arrested in Squamish after allegedly setting three separate fires deliberately along the north end of the Sea to Sky trail near Cheakamus Canyon, Vancouver Sun Crime reports. The arrest came during one of the province's most precarious wildfire seasons, with major fires burning across British Columbia at the time.

Squamish RCMP were called to a fast-spreading fire on the west side of Highway 99, between Whistler and Squamish, shortly after midnight on August 22. Witnesses reported seeing a man involved in starting the blaze, and officers arrested and charged a suspect with arson.

Working alongside the B.C. Conservation Officer Service and B.C. Wildfire Service, police confirmed three suspicious fires had been ignited in the area. All three have since been declared out by the wildfire service.

Sgt. Jeff Shore emphasized the seriousness of the incidents. "The safety of our community and the protection of our natural landscapes are of paramount importance," Shore said. "With the province facing such a precarious fire season, these types of incidents are incredibly concerning."

B.C.'s wildfire season has since shown improvement. The provincial state of emergency was lifted on August 27, and more than 100 fires were declared out in the week that followed. As of September 4, no wildfires of note were active, though the B.C. Wildfire Service still listed 134 fires as burning — 13 of them out of control.

Anyone who was in the Sea to Sky Highway area around August 22 and holds relevant dashcam footage, photographs, or other information about the fires or the suspect is asked to contact the Squamish RCMP at 604-892-6100.

Source: Vancouver Sun Crime