Saanich police say there is no apparent link between a suspicious fire Thursday and a series of suspected arsons over the past two weeks.
Thursday’s incident was reported by volunteers who arrived at Saanich Baptist Church on Wilkinson Road about 8:15 a.m.
“Upon entering the church, they found what they believed to be an odour of smoke,” said Saanich Police Sgt. Steve Eassie. “They spent the better part of 45 minutes looking around.”
The volunteers found a charred, smouldering area in cedar mulch in front of the church. A nearby gas meter was not damaged.
The only connection to the earlier fires appears to be that they happened on a Thursday, Eassie said.
The initial fire spree began April 10, and extended into the morning on April 11. The most recent fire was several kilometres away from the others, which were all in the upper Douglas Street area, roughly bound by Burnside Road East, Cloverdale Avenue and Blanshard Street.
Last week’s fires were in a dumpster and a motel bathroom, while the previous week had five suspected arsons that destroyed the ABC Country Restaurant on Blanshard and damaged a new condominium suite, dumpsters and sheds.
Saanich police ask anyone with information about the fires to call 250-475-4356.
