The Victoria Fire Department had a busy morning, responding to multiple dumpster fires across the city.
Four fires, set in dumpsters on commercial properties between James Bay and the Mayfair mall area, began early in the morning.
The first one was started at the corner of Bay St and Government St at around 2am. Then, at 4:16am, one was set on Chatham ST, and at 5:24am a dumpster on Menzies Ave was torched. Victoria Fire also responded to a fire in Saanich on Alpha St at 5:47am, to assist the Saanich Fire with the final dumpster fire of the day.
Battalion Chief with the Victoria Fire Department, Brian Elvedahl, says that they were unable to determine the causes of the fires, because unless there's evidence like an accelerant, it can be really hard to find the cause.
"It could be a passerby just discarding a cigarette butt in there. Or somebody improperly disposing of some rags, and you get some that spontaneous combustion. It's really hard, a lot of the evidence burns up by the time we get there and stuff, so those ones are more difficult to get a cause on."
Victoria police have taken over the investigation, to determine whether the fires were set on purpose, if they are connected, and if they are criminal in nature.