VERNON / WEST KELOWNA – August 20, 2026 – A 33-year-old West Kelowna woman has been charged in connection with two intentionally set grass fires in Vernon, becoming the third woman in two weeks accused of starting fires in British Columbia’s Interior.
Mariah Banning Baer was arrested on August 14 and faces six charges related to fires that broke out on August 4 in Vernon’s Commonage neighbourhood. Vernon North Okanagan RCMP said officers responded at 1:23 p.m. to a grass fire on Commonage Road near Bench Row Road that appeared to have started at a roadside pullout. A second fire was discovered shortly afterward in Carlson Park on Bench Row Road.
Investigators determined both fires were human-caused and deliberately set. Helicopters already working on another blaze had to be diverted to help contain the fires. No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported.
Baer faces one count of arson in relation to inhabited property, two counts of arson in relation to property, one count of possession of incendiary material, one count of disguising her face with intent to commit an indictable offence, and one count of breach of a probation order. She was already on probation at the time of the alleged offences.
The charges come amid heightened concern over human-caused fires in the Interior during a period of elevated wildfire risk. RCMP publicly named the suspect earlier than usual in such investigations. The case remains before the courts.
About the Author
