Arson suspect arrested after three fires near Whistler and Squamish

A 29-year-old man has been arrested and charged with arson following three suspicious fires that tore through brush near the Sea to Sky trail in late August. Squamish RCMP responded to a fast-spreading fire on the west side of Highway 99 between Whistler and Squamish shortly after midnight on Aug. 22. Witnesses reported seeing a man involved in starting the blaze.

Working with B.C. Conservation Officer Service and B.C. Wildfire Service, police confirmed three separate suspicious fires had ignited along the north end of the Sea to Sky trail near Cheakamus Canyon. All three fires were extinguished by the wildfire service.

The arrests come as B.C. faces an unusually active fire season. The provincial state of emergency was lifted Aug. 27, but as of Friday, Sept. 4, over 100 fires had been declared out in the previous week, with 134 fires still listed as burning across the province. Of those, 13 remained out of control.

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

Squamish RCMP is asking anyone with dashcam footage, photographs, or information about the fires to call 604-892-6100.