Northern Sask. man pleads guilty to starting 200,000-hectare wildfire

The ombudsman’s annual report points to wildfire response issues, including delays in supports from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.

A La Ronge, Sask. man has admitted to sparking a wildfire that grew to nearly 20 times the size of Saskatoon last summer.

Jason Halkett, 29, pleaded guilty to arson. He’s scheduled to be sentenced May 7 in Montreal Lake.

The Ditch 2 fire was first reported on May 26, 2025 in the hamlet of Wayakwin.

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The wildfire burned more than 200,000 hectares of forest, threatening communities along the Highway 2 corridor into the La Ronge area.

After investigators with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency determined the fire was human-caused, RCMP launched a criminal investigation.

Halkett was arrested on Aug. 27 in Saskatoon and charged with one count of arson — damage to property.

The offence carries a maximum sentence of up to 14 years in prison.

Weyakwin officials are asking anyone impacted by the fire to submit a community impact statement to help inform the judge’s sentence.

The Ditch 2 fire started as several major wildfires, including the Shoe and Wolf fires, were already burning across northern Saskatchewan.