Man charged with arson after wildfire sparks near Port Alberni

A 38-year-old man has been charged with arson one day after two suspicious brush fires sparked near Port Alberni on Vancouver Island.

According to Port Alberni RCMP, officers responded shortly after 10 p.m. on May 13th to the north side of the Alberni Highway near the Coombs Country Candy store after receiving reports of a man allegedly setting fires in the brush.

Police say officers located a suspect nearby and arrested him without incident.

The man appeared before a judge on the morning of May 14th and has since been charged with two counts of arson. He remains in custody.

PAFD is on the scene of a fire on Ship Creek Rd near Seizai Rd. The fire is knocked down at this time and not expected to grow. No homes are threatened at this time. If you see a column of smoke call 911 immediately, as was done in this case. #BCWildfire #portalberni pic.twitter.com/tHqvW0kzQp

— Port Alberni Fire (@portalbernifire) May 13, 2026

The charges come as the BC Wildfire Service confirmed a wildfire burning in the area is now being held at approximately 0.67 hectares after initially being classified as out of control.

The fire is suspected to be human-caused, a designation used for any wildfire not started by lightning.

Earlier Thursday, the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District said the blaze was highly visible from the city but nearby structures were not at risk.

Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact Port Alberni RCMP at (250) 723-2424.