B.C. rancher reports $1M worth of hay lost in suspicious fire

Over $1 million worth of hay was destroyed in what police say is a suspicious fire at a ranch in central B.C. Wednesday morning, at a time when farmers across the province are struggling to secure enough hay for winter due to drought.

The Vanderhoof RCMP received a report on Aug. 9 about two hay barns ablaze on a family property along Telegraph Road, on the west side of the community of more than 4,000 residents.

Cpl. Madonna Saunderson with the B.C. RCMP's North District said the cause of the fire is unknown, and they would like more information on a vehicle seen around the ranch around the time of the incident.

"There was no surveillance equipment, and while it was reported that a vehicle may have been in the area, it was witnessed to be in the area two hours after the fire was initially reported," she said Thursday in a statement.

Rancher John Kochel, says the family learned of the fire around 7 a.m. PT on Wednesday when they received a call from a friend reporting that their hay sheds were on fire.

"They were totally engulfed in flames," he told host Carolina de Ryk Friday on CBC's Daybreak North.

"We're fortunate to have … set up perimeter sprinklers to make sure we didn't spread [the fire] to other structures … [and] create a forest fire right here."

'I feel helpless,' says rancher

Kochel says his family has been running the ranch for generations, and it's "unprecedented" to have a fire that consumed such a significant amount of hay, which he estimates to be worth more than $1 million.

He says they may even have to sell some of their cattle due to a potential shortage of hay. Kochel says he can't understand how someone could set his barns on fire.

"The sad part is there's that kind of animosity out there that would cause somebody to do that," he said. "Vanderhoof is a pretty tight-knit community."

"I feel helpless."

Agriculture Canada's most recent drought monitoring report says 76 per cent of the country's agricultural landscape is either abnormally dry or experiencing moderate to severe drought this summer, affecting yields for hay.

According to the B.C. Cattlemen's Association, ranchers across the province are starting to dip into their winter reserves earlier than usual this year because low yields have pushed up hay prices to as high as $800 per ton in some parts of B.C.

In the meantime, the RCMP continue to investigate and ask anyone with information to contact the Vanderhoof detachment at 250-567-2222.