Man charged with arson after school fires in Abbotsford, B.C.

The Bakerview Centre for Learning will be closed to students and staff for the day. (Handout)

A 34-year-old man has been charged with arson following a string of suspicious fires that damaged schools in Abbotsford, B.C.

Court records show Jessie James Olson, born in 1991, was charged Thursday with one count of arson damaging property in relation to a fire at the Bakerview Centre for Learning on April 13.

A second fire was reported at the same school two days later. A third blaze on April 17 damaged a portable classroom at nearby Godson Elementary School.

The Abbotsford Police Department says Olson was arrested Thursday following an investigation by its major crime unit.

Olson, who also faces one count of breaching a release order, remains in custody as investigators examine possible links to the other two fires.

The Bakerview Centre for Learning, described by the Abbotsford School District as a secondary school for students aged 14 to 65, was forced to close temporarily after the first fire.

No injuries were reported in the fires, which caused varying degrees of damage.

“This investigation remains a priority for AbbyPD, given the impact incidents of this nature can have on students, families, and school staff,” Sgt. Paul Walker said in a statement.

“AbbyPD remains committed to working closely with schools and partners to ensure students feel safe and supported in their learning environments, and to respond quickly to incidents that threaten their sense of safety.”

Olson is scheduled to appear in Abbotsford provincial court on April 29.