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The Ditch 2 fire was started near Wayakwin in May 2025. (Image Credit: Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)
sentencing soon

Man pleads guilty to starting Ditch 2 fire

Apr 27, 2026 | 4:09 PM

A man who was accused of sparking the Ditch 2 fire has pleaded guilty to arson.  

Jason Halkett, 29, of La Ronge, is expected to be sentenced May 7 in Montreal Lake.

The fire was started May 26, 2025. The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency determined the wildfire was human caused and Waskesiu RCMP then began a criminal investigation. On Aug. 27, 2025, Halkett was arrested in Saskatoon. 

The Ditch 2 fire burned more than 200,000 hectares of forest and resulted in the evacuation of several communities.