A man has been charged in connection with a recent wildfire that tore across two First Nations in southern Saskatchewan. On Sunday, May 10, at about 3:20 p.m., File Hills First Nations Police Service officers responded to a grass fire on Star Blanket First Nation. The fire burned for three days and spread across hundreds of acres of pastureland, including sections of Little Black Bear First Nation. No homes were destroyed, but earlier reports indicated an outdoor hockey rink, a baseball diamond and a barn were lost in the flames. On Friday, File Hills Police revealed officers had taken a 25-year-old man from Star Blanket First Nation into custody. The accused was charged with five counts under The Wildfire Act which include starting a fire without taking precautions, failing to take all necessary precautions to ensure fire monitored/contained, failing to ensure that firefighting equipment available/readily accessible, causing a public hazard by exposing residents to excessive amounts of smoke and impairing visibility on public roadways, and failing to notify an officer/person authorized if he or she is responsible for a fire in an area that is no longer under control. The accused is scheduled to appear in Fort Qu’Appelle Provincial Court on June 15. File Hills police thanked the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency for its assistance in the investigation.
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