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North Okanagan grass fire deemed suspicious by police

RCMP say one woman was apprehended near the scene, cause of fire still under investigation
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Vernon North Okanagan RCMP investigated a suspicious grass fire near Vernon’s Department of National Defence army camp Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020. (Black Press file photo)

A grass fire that was doused near Vernon’s Department of National Defence army camp Wednesday evening is being considered suspicious by police.

At approximately 6:40 p.m. Aug. 19, officers arrived to investigate the fire on the hillside east of the DND land off Highway 97, according to a Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP media release.

Police say a member of the public saw a woman acting erratically in the area at the time of the fire and had concerns for her safety.

“One of our officers approached the hillside from the bottom and located a woman matching the description given by witnesses,” said Cpl. Tania Finn, media relations officer with the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP.

“Believing the woman was a danger to herself and others, she was apprehended under the Mental Health Act and transported to the hospital by police.”

Vernon Fire Rescue Services assisted with dousing the blaze and no structures were affected, the release states. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

It’s the second fire in as many days to have sparked in the area after Vernon and Coldstream fire crews extinguished a blaze on the DND grounds Tuesday, Aug. 18 around 8 p.m.

READ MORE: Grass fire sparked near Vernon-Coldstream

READ MORE: Lake Country firefighters help battle South Okanagan wildfire


Brendan Shykora
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Brendan Shykora

About the Author: Brendan Shykora

I started as a carrier at the age of 8. In 2019 graduated from the Master of Journalism program at Carleton University.
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