Saanich police have arrested and charged a woman with two counts of arson after a series of suspicious fires broke out on Halloween night and the following day.
In a release, police said the 31-year-old woman of no fixed address was arrested and charged on Friday for a fire set at a home in Victoria and a fire set in Saanich.
A total of six fires – three in Victoria and three in Saanich – were started intentionally and appear to be related, according to police. Officers are continue to investigate the other fires.
Fires set over a five-hour time period
The first incident in Victoria was a camper that was found ablaze in the 3000-block of Alder St. It was followed up shortly after by another fire in the same area, which fully destroyed a detached garage and the car inside it.
The final blaze caused damage to a wooden fence and a vehicle in the 3100-block of Fifth St at around 1:30 a.m.
Meanwhile in Saanich
On the same night, a fire damaged a portion of plastic lattice fence in the 200-block of Burnside Rd W at around 8 p.m.
According to Saanich Fire Department Assistant Chief Rich Pala, the blaze was small enough for a passerby to pat it out with her hand, and she burned her fingertips from the melted plastic in the process.
About a half an hour later, in the 300-block of Burnside Rd E, the plastic grill of a work van was set on fire, which then spread under the hood and caused about $5,000 of damage.
The last incident took place at 11:20 p.m. Two rolls of scrap carpet were set ablaze under a parked moving van in the 1500-block of Cedar Hill X Rd.
“When an individual sets fires, the results are unpredictable and can cause serious damage or worse yet; injuries or harm to people,” said Detective Sgt. Damian Kowalewich in a release.
The woman who is known to police remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
