More than 500 wildfires in British Columbia have been labeled as arson or suspicious over a decade, with wildfire authorities cautioning that intentionally set fires can be extremely damaging given the province’s current hot and dry weather conditions. The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) reported that 560 fires were tagged as arson or suspicious between 2016 and 2025, representing about 3.8% of the 14,856 fires detected during that period.
The BCWS categorizes these fires as “incendiary fires,” defined as fires deliberately ignited in areas or under circumstances where there shouldn’t be a fire. The Bald Range wildfire, which displaced numerous Summerland residents from their homes, is under investigation by the RCMP and is considered suspicious. Authorities are soliciting witnesses who may have information regarding the fire’s cause, which was first noticed on August 7.
In response to the Bald Range wildfire, the BCWS has raised concerns about deliberately set fires, emphasizing the heightened risks under the current circumstances. Cliff Chapman, the BCWS director of provincial operations, expressed significant apprehension about intentionally set wildfires across the province, especially given the prevailing conditions.
While wildfires caused by campfires during bans are typically classified as campfire-caused fires by investigators, in severe cases, the Natural Resource Officer Service and police may pursue arson charges. Kira Hoffman, a wildfire researcher, highlighted that arson charges can also be warranted if other incendiary devices like fireworks or gas canisters are found to have ignited fires due to negligence.
Hoffman, a research associate at the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Wildfire Coexistence, noted that arson incidents, although a small subset of Canadian wildfires, tend to increase when wildfire risks escalate. She pointed out that arson occurrences often coincide with fire warnings and heightened fire behavior awareness, indicating a correlation between the two.
Recent instances of intentional fires include the arrest of a suspected arsonist in Princeton who was found near a small fire on Similkameen Avenue. Additionally, five fires near Shuswap Lake last week are believed to have been intentionally set. In another case, a Kelowna man received a 21-month prison sentence for starting fires on Knox Mountain last year.
Hoffman highlighted more severe examples of arson incidents, citing a man in Spokane, Washington, facing arson-related charges for fires that destroyed over 800 homes. In Los Angeles, a 29-year-old man was charged with igniting the destructive Palisades Fire last year, emphasizing the serious nature of incidents involving incendiary devices and their potential hazards near communities.
