No jail time for man who started devastating fire

A former volunteer firefighter has been fined $3,000 for starting the B.C. wildfire that destroyed 73 homes, and forced 8,500 people to flee from their rural communities north of Kamloops during the long hot summer of 2003.

Mike Barre (File photo)

Mike Barre had been convicted earlier of one count of dropping a burning substance within one kilometre of a forest – an offence under the Forest Practices Code.

Barre, a long-time chain smoker, had tossed away a cigarette near his home – which ignited grass and brush. He tried unsuccessfully to put out the fire, and then ran to warn his neighbours.

The McLure-Barriere fire eventually covered more than 260 square kilometres, and cost the province more than $31 million to put out.

In the process, the flames destroyed the Tolko sawmill in Louis Creek, which was the community's major employer – providing jobs for about 200 people in the area.

• FROM AUG. 6, 2003: Dark days for fire victims

Despite the devastation to their community, about 1,400 people in the Barriere area signed a petition, asking that the charges against Barre be stayed, saying the fire was an unfortunate accident.

The 52-year-old man told a provincial court judge in Kamloops on Tuesday that the past two-and-a-half years have been "totally devastating" for him and his family.

The Crown had said it was prosecuting Barre to send a message to all smokers to be more careful.

In passing sentence, provincial court judge William Sundhu said he was satisfied that has been achieved, given all the publicity the case has received.

Barre could have been sentenced to a $1-million fine and as much as three years in prison.