RCMP Insp. Adam Palmer briefs reporters on the police investigation into the 2025 Conception Bay North wildfire, Friday, July 30, 2026.Article contentNearly a year after the Kingston wildfire tore through communities in Conception Bay North, the RCMP is still working to pinpoint an exact cause.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThey’ve determined the blaze — which started Aug. 3, 2025 and burned more than 10,000 hectares, destroying homes and forcing many in the region to evacuate — is suspicious, based on evidence investigators have uncovered, information received from local residents, and fire patterns occurring around that time.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentThey have investigated and cleared several people named on social media as having potential involvement or reported to them directly as possible suspects.Article contentThe investigation, which has involved the force’s Major Crimes Unit along with specialists from inside and outside the RCMP and the province, including forensic experts in areas like polygraph testing and fire behaviour, now needs the help of residents and witnesses who haven’t yet spoken with police, RCMP Insp. Adam Palmer said Thursday, July 30, 2026.Article contentPalmer spoke with reporters at a briefing on the Kingston wildfire investigation at RCMP headquarters in St. John’s, at times addressing residents of the fire-ravaged Conception Bay North area directly.Article contentHe acknowledged many people continue to face challenges related to the fire devastation, saying they deserve a resolution to the events that caused it.Article content“We understand it is frustrating to hear that we are still investigating, and we are limited in what we can share during this active investigation,” he said. “Rest assured we are continuing to pursue every pathway forward and use every reasonable resource available to our investigation. If and when there is further news to share with our communities, we are committed to doing so as soon as possible.”Article contentArticle content The Kingston fire that ignited in Conception Bay North on Aug. 3, 2025 and continued for weeks destroying homes, schools and businesses, and displacing people. Photo by FileArticle contentPOLICE BELIEVE THERE ARE POTENTIAL WITNESSES YET TO COME FORWARDArticle contentOfficers have pursued every lead, Palmer said, from information gleaned from social media to items provided as potential evidence to be sent for forensic analysis. Several C.B.N. residents reported finding and collecting beer cans stuffed with dry grass in the areas near several fires.Article contentInvestigators believe there are people with valuable information who haven’t come forward to police directly. They may have reported it to a provincial agency or government officials at a time when the fire was yet to be deemed suspicious, Palmer said, and the Mounties are urging them to get in touch with the Harbour Grace RCMP detachment directly by calling (709) 596-5014, to be connected with the lead investigator on the file.Article content“I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to contact police directly and file an official report so we may be able to separate fact from fiction,” Palmer said. “We know that in our small, close-knit communities, people may be nervous about coming forward and speaking to police. Our officers can provide support and assist as necessary with safety planning, if you need to.”Article content
Police determine 2025 Conception Bay North wildfire was suspicious; believe there are witnesses yet to come forward
