A man in Nova Scotia, Dalton Stewart, has been fined $25,000 following an investigation into the largest wildfire in the province’s history. Stewart, 23, received the sentence at Barrington provincial court without speaking. The Crown and defense jointly recommended the fine, along with mandatory educational training on wildfire prevention.
Stewart had pleaded guilty to a charge under the Forest Act, while two other charges were dropped. He admitted to igniting a tire on private land near Barrington Lake while under the influence and failing to properly extinguish it, which led to the devastating Barrington Lake wildfire that burned over 23,000 hectares and destroyed numerous structures.
Senior Crown attorney Brian Cox acknowledged Stewart’s cooperation but emphasized the severe impact of the fire, which cost approximately $8 million to extinguish. Judge Paul Scovil expressed the inadequacy of any sentence for the harm caused, particularly criticizing the reckless act of starting a fire in dry conditions, referring to it as a “drunken tire fire.”
Melissa Nickerson, a victim of the wildfire, shared her emotional statement in court, detailing the losses and hardships her family endured. Meanwhile, the municipalities of Barrington and Shelburne stressed the importance of recovery and resilience for those affected by the wildfires.
Despite the sentence, Chief Darrell Locke of the Shelburne volunteer fire department expressed disappointment, suggesting a harsher penalty would be more appropriate given the severity of the impact on the community. Stewart’s lawyer, Philip Star, highlighted his client’s acceptance of responsibility and financial constraints, indicating a lengthy period to pay the fine. Star also raised the possibility of additional fires in the area contributing to the wildfire, leaving room for further investigation and potential civil actions.
