Former firefighter charged in Mayerthorpe trestle bridge fire pleads guilty to arson

The fatherof LawsonSchalm,the firefighter whotorchedthe CN trestle bridge outside of Mayerthorpelast year,said hewill always support his son.

"My family isdedicated to supporting Lawson 100 per cent, unconditionally," said AlbertSchalm."We love him very, very much."

Still, he acknowledged the difficulty in accepting that his son set18 fires in and around the town over a 12-day period in April 2016.

"He let his community down," Schalm said. "It was a very sobering experience."

Defence lawyer Ed O'Neill entered guilty pleas inMayerthorpeprovincial courtto each of four counts of arson while Lawson Schalm, now 20, stoodquietly beside him.

Schalm joined the Mayerthorpe fire department when he was 15 and stood four feet 11 inches, while weighing91 pounds, fire chief Randy Schroeder wrote in a community impact statement read in court by Crown prosecutor Dallas Sopko.

"I'll never forget the smile on his face," Schroeder wrote in the letter.

Chief devastated

When they realized Schalm was behind the string of arsons, Schroeder said he was devastated.

His was one of two community impact statements read in court Friday.

The other was from Karen St. Martin, Mayerthorpe'schief administrative officer.

She said the fires caused immense stress, fatigue and turmoil among volunteer firefighters, who later underwentcounselling. They feltbetrayed,she wrote in her statement.

Schroeder saidfirefighters were "running on vapours"responding to call after call, "wondering when the next call would come and where."

Many fires were at night and volunteer members had a tough time maintaining their day jobs, he said.

The cost of responding to the fires and psychological services for members amounted to $8,653.52.

Fires sparkedby cigarette lighter

Schalmlit grassy areas on fire with his cigarette lighter, and while most were put out before they spread, the CN trestle went up in flames and was destroyed.

"The accused did not intend to light the trestle itself on fire," the agreed statement of facts said.

HoweverSchalm's experience as a firefighter, meant "he was reckless as to whether the grass fire would extend to the trestle."

The trestle fire involved nearly 40 firefighters, water bombers and CNcrews. One firefighter was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.

Rebuilding the bridge cost CN $7,561,593.

Crown prosecutor Dallas Sopko askedfor a five-year prison sentence, arguing that breach of trust is the most aggravating factor.O'Neill askedfor 18 monthsand three yearsprobation.

Judge Charles Gardnerdeferred sentencing, saying he disagreeswith both the Crown and defence submissions and needs time to consider the statement of facts.

Gardner plans to deliver his sentence July 6.

In the meantime, Schalmwill remain on bail while livingwith his parents.

Mayerthorpe, hasa population 1,300 andis 120 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

• CN Rail trestle bridge destroyed in suspicious fire at Mayerthorpe, Alta.