Suspect arrested after West Kelowna residents witness man lighting fire in wooded area behind homes

Update July 22, 2021: West Kelowna RCMPsay they have completed their investigation. Stephen Leader, 36, has beenarrested and charged with arson.

RCMP say a man was arrested on Saturdayafter some quick-thinking residents ofa West Kelowna neighbourhood reportedseeing someone light a fire in a wooded area behind homes.

B.C. RCMP spokesperson Dawn Roberts said neighbours in the 3000 block of Webber Road witnesseda man roaming through the wooded hillside behind their homes around 8 p.m. Saturday.

They called police after witnessing the person light something on fire and throw it into the trees. Roberts said the local residents quickly rushedto put out the fire before it spread.

"We would like to acknowledge the community that was quick to call in the incident and also deal with a possible fire, recognizing some of the dangers and hazards that are in place right now around fires," she said.

Around 9 p.m. police located the suspect and arrested him. He wasreleased on conditions. Roberts said investigators are trying to determine a motive for the act, and charges are pending.

Investigators are using as evidence a video of the suspect that Castanet, asouthern Interior news media outlet, has posted on its YouTube page.

Roberts said the incident is concerningconsidering the number of wildfires currently burning across the province.

"It's deeply unsettling," said Roberts.

"Given the conditions that we have around the province right now and just the suspicious nature of it, we are very fortunate that we didn't have anything more serious as a result of the attempt that was made. It was extinguished."