One man has been taken into custody in connection with a series of fires that were deliberately set along the Nanaimo Parkway today.
According to a media release from the Nanaimo RCMP, the incident, which occurred on Tuesday, July 4th, was first reported at 11:55 a.m. near the intersection of Northfield Road and the Nanaimo Parkway.
Traffic Alert – our @IAFF905 Firefighters are battling multiple Wildfires in the Parkway and Northfield area. Please avoid the area. We have multiple trucks on the roads. @cityofnanaimo pic.twitter.com/zvwnO9TaVT
— Nanaimo Fire Rescue (@NanaimoFire) July 4, 2023
Multiple witnesses alerted police and fire crews about an unknown man setting fires along the walking trail parallel to the Nanaimo Parkway.
Firefighters immediately responded to the reports while RCMP officers actively worked to locate the suspect. Shortly before 12:30 p.m., the individual was apprehended and taken into police custody.
The dry and windy conditions posed a significant challenge for the authorities in containing the fires.
As a result, a section of the southbound lanes on Highway 19, spanning from Mostar Road to Third Sreet, has been closed for safety reasons. Traffic has been rerouted to facilitate the work of the fire crews in addressing the ongoing fires.
⚠️#BCHwy19 – Closed due to a 🚓Police incident between South Jinglepot Road and Mostar Road in #Nanaimo. Detour available.
Northbound #BCHwy19 is not closed.
6PM PDT Update. https://t.co/UmDqt2hfQM
— DriveBC (@DriveBC) July 4, 2023
“Investigators are extremely thankful for the information provided by witnesses that ultimately lead to the timely arrest of a suspect. Police however, need to speak to these individuals to find out exactly what they saw,” said Const. Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP.
Fortunately, no injuries or structural damage have been reported as a result of the fires.
If you witnessed the fires or have dashcam video footage of the affected area between 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Nanaimo RCMP ask that you call them at 250-754-2345.
