By Michael Potestio/Kamloops This Week
A Kamloops woman accused of setting fires in rural areas near the city has been released on bail.
Angela Elise Cornish, 42, was arrested on May 11 and charged with multiple counts of arson following a joint investigation between the BC RCMP and BC Wildfire Service.
The charges are connected to four fires — one in Monte Lake on April 30 and three in Lac Le Jeune, between May 7 and May 11.
Cornish was granted bail on May 27 under numerous conditions, according to court documents. They include that she wear electronic monitoring equipment, abide by a curfew, does not leave the City of Kamloops without written permission from her bail supervisor, does not possess incendiary devices — exception in certain circumstances — and that she does not attend any nature park, protected grassland or forestry roads.
The evidence against Cornish presented at the bail hearing is protected by a court-ordered publication ban.
Her next court date is scheduled for June 9.
Read more: Woman charged in connection with multiple wildfires east of Kamloops
Read more: UPDATE: Westwold wildfires extinguished, RCMP investigate suspected arson
On April 30, police said, a resident in the Monte Lake area east of Kamloops encountered a suspicious vehicle on a forestry road while investigating some smoke in the hills. The resident took note of the licence plate on the pickup truck and reported it to the RCMP.
Other residents then reported to police their own encounters with the vehicle, driven by a woman.
“I wish to acknowledge the tremendous assistance of the Monte Lake and Westwold residents who provided our investigators with the valuable information we needed to successfully advance this investigation,” Supt. Brad Haugli, the RCMP’s Southeast District commander, said in a statement.
Monte Lake, about 45 kilometres east of Kamloops on Highway 97, saw many homes and structures destroyed by flames last year when the White Rock Lake wildfire ripped through the community.
Wildfires can be reported to BC Wildfire Service by calling 1-800-663-5555 or dialing *5555 from a cellphone.
newsroom@saobserver.net
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