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On April 30, 2023, police arrested and charged John Cook with 10 counts of arson he was remanded into custody and set to appear in court on May 10 in Cold Lake.
A 29-year-old man has been charged with 10 counts of arson after a string of wildfires and blazes in and around Cold Lake, say RCMP.
Cold Lake RCMP, the RCMP serious crimes branch, forestry crimes unit (FCU), and members from Alberta Forestry, Parks and Tourism have been investigating since last year multiple wildfires and arsons in and around the area of Cherry Grove, just south of Cold Lake.
On April 30, 2022, Cold Lake RCMP responded to the Cherry Grove hamlet after reports of multiple vehicle and structure fires, including two residential homes in the area of Maple Street and Pine Drive, which were later determined to be arson, said a Thursday news release.
Then in August 2022, the FCU and government partners determined that several wildfires were intentionally set in the Hilda Lake, Cold Lake Provincial Park, Ardmore, and Cherry Grove areas.
Later that year, in September, Cold Lake RCMP responded to a fire at the Cherry Grove Rodeo Grounds where a wooden platform appeared to be deliberately set on fire.
Then, on April 28 of this year RCMP responded to reports that the Canada Post office in Cherry Grove as well as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints were on fire. The post office was heavily damaged and the church was completely destroyed.
On April 30, police arrested and charged John Cook with 10 counts of arson. He was remanded into custody and is set to appear in court on May 10 in Cold Lake.
The hamlet of Cherry Grove is about 289 km northeast of Edmonton.
