The man charged after an investigation into the largest wildfire in Nova Scotia history has been fined $25,000.
Dalton Stewart, 23, chose not to speak when he was handed the sentence Thursday in Barrington provincial court.
The sentence — a joint recommendation from the Crown and defence — also includes an order to complete educational training on wildfire prevention.
Stewart previously pleaded guilty to one charge under the Forest Act. Two other charges were dismissed or withdrawn.
An agreed statement of facts entered into the court record Thursday provides details of what happened.
The document shows Stewart admitted to lighting a tire on fire on private land near Barrington Lake while drinking with friends late at night on May 25, 2023.
Before leaving the area, Stewart attempted to stomp out the fire. He admitted to being very intoxicated.
He now agrees he did not take every reasonable effort to prevent the fire from spreading or confirm it was completely extinguished.
The Barrington Lake wildfire burned more than 23,000 hectares, destroyed about 60 structures and led to thousands of people being forced from their homes.
Senior Crown attorney Brian Cox said the fire was devastating, but he credited Stewart’s co-operation with authorities as a mitigating factor.
“Mr. Stewart has conceded that he started the fire that ultimately started the Barrington Lake wildfire,” Cox said.
He added that no sentence could undo the consequences or devastation but said the fine is significant.
“The maximum allowable penalty at the time was $50,000,” Cox said. “The $25,000 is a significant fine. It’s a meaningfully deterrent fine for Mr. Stewart and I think it’s a significant amount for any Nova Scotian.”
Cox told court the costs to extinguish the fire were in the region of $8 million.
Restitution was considered, he said, but given the modest circumstances of the accused, it was not thought to be in the public interest, and neither was a possible jail sentence. Instead, he said, the sentence focuses on accountability.
Judge Paul Scovil said no sentence would be sufficient for the harm done.
He described it as beyond unthinkable that anyone would start a fire in the woods when conditions were so dry, never mind what he called a “drunken tire fire.”
Melissa Nickerson, who lost her Thomasville, N.S., home to the wildfire, cried in court as she gave a victim impact statement.
She said her family of four had to start their lives all over and have suffered financial losses and PTSD.
“I am angry and very upset, grief-stricken with the loss of my home and all my most valuable memories,” she said.
The wardens of the municipalities of Barrington and Shelburne issued a joint statement following the hearing.
The statement from Shaun Hatfield and Penny Smith said news of the sentence will bring back painful memories to those affected by the wildfires.
It said their focus remains on “recovery, healing, and building greater resilience for the future.”
Chief Darrell Locke of the Shelburne volunteer fire department was in court for the hearing and said he was disappointed with the outcome.
“Many people lost every single thing they owned and, as we witnessed from the victim impact statement, they were devastated,” Locke said.
“There was panic, there was fear.”
Stewart’s lawyer, Philip Star, told court his client works in a fish plant with a minimal income and will need 18 months to two years to pay the fine.
Star said Stewart accepts responsibility for what he did.
He maintains there may have been other fires in the area that contributed to the wildfire.
“We agree in the agreed statement of facts that a fire was started which was at least part of the Barrington wildfire,” Star said in an interview. “A fire is a fluid situation and if other fires were set by one or more persons and it amalgamated with this fire, who caused what?”
Star said it remains to be seen whether there will be any civil actions but he is not aware of any to date.
