Church fire on Penticton Indian Band June 21, 2021. (Photo credit: Canadian Press)

By Pete McIntyre

suspicious

Two more churches burn in South Okanagan

Jun 26, 2021 | 1:55 PM

PENTICTON – Two more Catholic churches in the South Okanagan have burned to the ground, raising the total to four in the last week.

On Saturday, June 26, at 3:52 a.m., Princeton RCMP received a call the St. Ann’s Catholic Church on the Upper Similkameen Indian Band (USIB) near the small community of Hedley was on fire.

At 4:45 a.m., the Keremeos RCMP received a report the Chopaka Catholic Church on the Lower Similkameen Indian Band (LSIB) at Chopaka was on fire.

Both churches have been destroyed. The fire at the church on the Lower Similkameen Band spread to nearby brush which was quickly extinguished by BC Wildfire crews before spreading further.

“The RCMP are treating both of these fires as suspicious and are looking to determine any possible connection to the church fires in both Penticton and Oliver on June 21, 2021”, stated Sgt. Jason Bayda, Media Relations Officer for the Penticton South Okanagan RCMP. “The investigations into the previous fires and these two new fires are ongoing with no arrests or charges”.

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The RCMP said it continues to work with and support local Indigenous leaders and communities.

Police are asking for anyone who may have witnessed anyone, or any vehicle, in the area of either church in the early hours of June 26 to contact the Penticton RCMP Detachment at 250-492-4300.