Police report into massive 2017 B.C. wildfire forwarded to prosecution service
Credit to Author: The Canadian Press| Date: Mon, 16 Sep 2019 22:23:55 +0000
The RCMP investigation into the cause of a massive wildfire that destroyed homes and charred nearly 2,000 square kilometres of land in B.C. has now been passed to the B.C. Prosecution Service for consideration of charges.
RCMP Sgt. Janelle Shoihet says the probe into the Elephant Hill blaze in 2017 was complex and lengthy. She says the prosecution service will make a determination about which, if any, charges may be appropriate.
Details of the report examining the cause and origin of the blaze will not be released while charges are under consideration.
The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development told CFJC Today news that no charge approval decision had been made and no timeline had been set.
B.C. Wildfire Service data shows the Elephant Hill fire, sparked July 6, 2017, grew to be the largest wildfire in the province that year and at its peak, forced the evacuation of thousands, including the entire community of Cache Creek.
A report from the Thompson Nicola Regional District says the fire destroyed 228 structures, including dozens of homes in the communities of Boston Flats, Loon Lake and Pressy Lake.
Angie Thorne points to where her lilac bushes used to be at her home on the Ashcroft First Nation reserve. Her home was destroyed in early July, 2017 by the Elephant Hill fire.
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