Man charged following Shelburne County wildfire investigation pleads guilty

The man who was charged following an investigation into the historic wildfire in Shelburne County, N.S., last year has pleaded guilty to one of the charges in court in Barrington today.

Dalton Stewart, who is now 23, pleaded guilty to a charge under the Forests Act of leaving a fire unattended when it was not completely extinguished.

Stewart was not in court but his lawyer Philip Star entered the plea on his behalf before Nova Scotia provincial court Judge James Burrill.

Star said his client was admitting to lighting a fire in the forest that he was not permitted to.

But he stressed Stewart was not admitting to lighting the Barrington wildfire that began in late May last year, burned more than 23,000 hectares, destroyed about 60 structures and led to thousands of people being displaced from their homes.

The Crown and defence are now working on an agreed statement of facts they expect to be completed before the next hearing in January.

Stewart is facing two other charges under the Forests Act but Star said those might not proceed now.

More to come.