(photo/ The Canadian Press)

By paNOW staff

ARSON

Two charged with setting fires in northern Sask.

Jun 6, 2025 | 5:27 PM

Two people have been charged with arson following separate fires in northern Saskatchewan, as authorities continue efforts to determine whether any recent wildfires are linked to criminal activity.

According to a statement issued Friday, Waskesiu RCMP responded to a fire in a rural area off Highway 696 on May 30. Investigators later concluded it had been intentionally set.

An 18-year-old woman from Montreal Lake Cree Nation is now facing one count of arson under the Criminal Code. She was scheduled to appear in court on June 5 in Montreal Lake.

The second case occurred around 1:45 a.m. on June 3, when Nipawin RCMP were called about a man reportedly lighting fires in a roadside ditch along Highway 55, near the turnoff to Snowden. When officers arrived, bystanders had already put out a small blaze.

A 36-year-old man from Pelican Narrows was taken into custody and is also facing an arson charge. He was expected to appear in provincial court in Prince Albert on June 6.

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RCMP say they’ve received numerous inquiries about the potential link between wildfires and criminal acts. While officers are continuing to investigate individual reports of arson, police note that it “will take some time” as “many of our officers are actively engaged with response to wildfires.”

Determining the origin and cause of wildfires falls under the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, which RCMP say is best positioned to speak to whether any incident contributed to a larger fire.

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com