La Ronge Provincial Court. File photo.
A 22-year-old man from Hall Lake has been ordered to pay more than $41,000 in restitution after admitting he started a number of forest fires near that community in July of 2015.
Donald Halkett, Jr, recently appeared in La Ronge Provincial Court, where he pleaded guilty to a charge of mischief and violating the province’s fire ban.
It happened during the height of the worst forest fire season on record, when more than 13,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes in the province’s north.
Saskatchewan Environment’s chief arson investigator, Ken Ness, says Halkett admitted to throwing lit wooden matches into the bush as he walked along a forest trail near Hall Lake. He adds residents of the community helped identify the suspect.
“We just knew that it was a great matter of concern to the citizens of Hall Lake, and we truly hoped they would assist us on the investigation, and yes, they did,” he said.
The executive director of Wildfire Management, Steve Roberts, says anyone who deliberately starts a fire is on the hook for the damages caused and the cost to fight the fire. He adds it creates a very dangerous situation.
“Diverting resources that are critical to protecting communities and people, and putting firefighters at further risk unnecessarily,” he said.
Hall Lake is located about 100 kilometres west of La Ronge. Four fires were set near the community, the closest one was just 200 kilometres away. Halkett says he was angry and intoxicated at the time.
In addition to being ordered to pay for the cost of fighting the fires, Halkett received a six-month conditional sentence that includes abstaining from alcohol and performing 100 hours of community work.