Police seek public's help after 25 suspicious fires at vacant homes in Vancouver

Vancouver police are appealing to anyone with information that will help them identify the culprits in at least 25 suspicious fires in vacant homes so far this year.

That's about four times the number of vacant home fires the city saw in all of 2015, according to police.

Eight of this year's fires have occurred since Oct. 23, and police say they're worried about the increasing frequency.

"Fortunately there's not been any serious injuries, but it's just a matter of time before one of these fires spreads to a nearby building,including other houses," said Const. Jason Doucette.

• Aggressive fire destroys vacant church in Vancouver's Kerrisdale neighbourhood
• 'Suspicious' blaze damages vacant south Granville Street home
• Hoarder house fire considered suspicious in Vancouver

Doucette said investigators are still trying to determine if there is any link between the firesas well as a possible motive.

"We're looking for any sort of similarities, if any exist," he said. "We're trying to figure out if there's a single suspect [or] more than one individual."

Doucette said the fires have not been concentrated in any one neighbourhood, but have instead been spread out across the city.

Police are asking anyone with information about any of thesuspicious fires to contact them directly, or Crime Stoppers if they wish to remain anonymous.