As Yellowknife evacuates in the face of an oncoming naturally caused wildfire, police in the city say they discovered an attempted arson overnight.
In Yellowknife, police fear an arsonist behind the lines
Ollie Williams·August 18, 2023
RCMP said a fire on Deh Cho Boulevard, a bypass road on the western periphery of Yellowknife nearest the oncoming fire, was reported at 4am on Friday.
With fire crews on the way, police officers “used fire extinguishers to contain the blaze until Yellowknife Fire was able to fully extinguish it,” RCMP stated in a Friday morning press release.
“An aerosol can was located on scene and the fire is believed to be an arson. The area was immediately contained and the police dog service was called in to assist. No one was located in the area and no arrests have been made.
This is the latest of
three alleged arsons in the city since Tuesday, a terrifying prospect for residents who are already fleeing the lightning-caused fire ZF015, which is 15 kilometres west and being blown east.
Deh Cho Boulevard is behind many of the lines of defence the city, territorial government and military have set up to defend against that fire.
“The area this fire occurred is somewhat remote and that means that the person responsible had to specifically travel to the location to deliberately set this fire,” said Cpl Matt Halstead, an RCMP spokesperson.
“This fire was set behind the fire defences and in an area where it could have spread significantly before it was detected. This is a serious criminal act and the RCMP will investigate this incident and other recent arsons, to the fullest.”
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Two arson incidents in Yellowknife, four people charged, two sought
Ollie Williams·August 16, 2023
A fire in the vicinity of Yellowknife’s Fred Henne park was arson, police said on Wednesday as they announced separate arson arrests on the same night.
RCMP said they had been called out twice on Tuesday evening – once to Long Lake, next to the park, and once to Burwash Drive in Yellowknife.
The incidents come as parts of Yellowknife are on evacuation alert over an oncoming wildfire, with conditions tinder-dry in the region.
A Yellowknife resident
extinguished one Fred Henne fire after seeing it from the road. At least two fires were spotted next to the park on Tuesday night.
“A witness in the area reported seeing two men running from the area wearing black clothing,” police said. A police dog unit couldn’t track the suspects, no further description of the men is available and that case remains under investigation.
On Burwash Drive, police say they had a report at 11:21pm of “four females were attempting to light a fire in a small green space.”
“RCMP arrested all four and found aerosol cans and lighters in their possession and near the scene,” police stated. All four, who are youths, have been charged with arson.
“It should go without having to be said, incidents like these pose a very serious risk to our community,” Cpl Matt Halstead, an RCMP spokesperson, was quoted as saying.
“A significant fire behind the city’s line of defence could have devastating consequences and take valuable resources away from the ongoing wildfire fighting efforts that are under way.
“It is completely beyond understanding that in the face of everything going on in the territory and the threat approaching our city, that people would actively attempt to start fires and endanger our community members. The RCMP will investigate these incidents to the fullest.”
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