Fire that grew to become part of Nova Scotia’s largest wildfire started on this man’s property

Mervyn Perry recalls turning off the TV and going to bed one night in May 2023 with no idea that a tire was being lit on fire on his land in Barrington, N.S., and that the flame would grow to be part of the largest wildfire in the province’s history.

Court documents from last month’s sentencing of Dalton Stewart, who was charged under the Forests Act, revealed it was Perry’s land near Barrington Lake where he set the tire on fire.

It wasn’t until the 86-year-old saw smoke in the days following and heard social media chatter that he realized the fire was set on his property, which spans more than 100 hectares.

“You're on someone else's property to begin with. Go on your own property. Buy a piece of property and destroy your own,” Perry said, noting the fire was started several kilometres away from his house so there was no way for him to see what was going on.

Stewart was sentenced to a $25,000 fine on Oct. 16 after pleading guilty to a charge under the Forests Act.

An agreed statement of facts revealed more details about what happened the night of May 25, 2023, when Stewart was in the area drinking with several friends.

The document describes how Stewart used cardboard and motor oil as an accelerant to start the fire at the top of the hill near a local landmark known as Homer’s Rock.

Before leaving, it says Stewart stomped on the flames but did not use water or check that embers were cool to the touch.

“They should know better, that's all I can say,” Perry said.

The document also notes that people living down the street from Perry saw two trucks leave an adjacent road, followed by smoke the day after and then a small but growing fire near Homer’s Rock.

Stewart’s lawyer said the tire fire was part of the Barrington wildfire, but there may also have been other fires set that contributed.

The wildfire went on to burn more than 23,000 hectares, destroying dozens of structures and forcing thousands of people to leave their homes.

Perry’s home and cottage on the lake were saved but he recalls having to leave the area for about a week.

While his properties were not damaged, he said a lot of the trees on his land were burned.