Westlock RCMP say a torched stolen vehicle was behind the 80-acre fire near Clyde last Sunday.
The fire started in the early afternoon of Sunday, May 13 east of Clyde and two miles south of Highway 18 on the Landing Trail.
Fire crews determined that a destroyed Toyota Camry found at the site was the cause of the week-long blaze.
Westlock RCMP Staff Sgt. Bryan Clayton said the car was reported stolen from a nearby town and police believe the thief may have tried to abandon the vehicle without being caught.
“The burning of the vehicle was not an accident, it was arson,” he said.
Police are currently in the process of conducting an investigation.
“We do not have any suspects as of yet, but we are following up on some leads,” Clayton said.
Westlock County fire chief John Biro said the fire, which is now labeled as under control, required as many as 30 members of the department to contain. Crews have been working over the last week to finally extinguish it.
“The damage was mostly on the trees which are scorched and the land surface which is also scorched,” Biro said, adding that fire crews will remain on the scene to deal with any remaining hot spots.
“I’m hoping the rain that they called for in the weather forecast will help us.”
Police are requesting that anyone with information about the fire or the stolen vehicle should contact them at either 780-349-4491, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
