Man arrested following fires being set on along Harvey Ave

A quick response by witnesses to alert the Kelowna Fire Department and Kelowna RCMP, resulted in the immediate arrest of a man who allegedly set fire to areas of landscaped sidewalks along Harvey Avenue in Kelowna on Sunday afternoon.

On July 30 at 12:24 p.m., the Kelowna RCMP received a report that a male was lighting a fire along the landscaped sidewalk near the 1900 block of Harvey Ave. It was indicated by witnesses that the male was setting the fire with blow torch. While on route to the scene, further details were received describing the male and his last known direction of travel.

It was reported that he had attempted to set other fires along his route. Members of the Kelowna Fire Dept., who were at the scene of the first fire, flagged down the attending officers to provide the last known location of the suspect.

RCMP officers arrested the 21-year-old male located at a retail outlet at the corner Burtch Road and Harvey Ave without incident. Mostly landscaping was damaged along with one portable billboard, no structures were affected.

Some business owners and employees tried to put out the fires before help from the Kelowna Fire Dept. arrived.

The Kelowna man was held in custody and appeared in Kelowna court on Monday. Police did not release the suspect’s name or what, if any, charges, have been laid.