Former Mayerthorpe mayor defends son accused of arson in CN fire

A former Mayerthorpe mayor says he remains supportive ofhis firefighter son, who faces 18 counts of arson for a spree of major fires he allegedly started in the Alberta town.

The charges against19-year-oldLawson Schalmare related to numerous suspicious fires in the area that began on April 19,including a massive onethat destroyed the CN trestle bridge.

On Sunday,Mayerthorpefire Chief RandySchroeder confirmed Schalmwasone of the volunteer firefighters called to actively battlethat fire, as well as four other fires during the course of the spree.

"There's an unconditional love for my son,"AlbertSchalmsaid, hisvoice trembling."No matter howthis endsup, there will always be a dinner plate at my table for my son. He is always welcome in my home."

• Arson charges laid in connection to Mayerthorpe CN Rail trestle bridge fire

AlbertSchalmsaidhis sonbegan working for theMayerthorpefire departmentwhen hewas 15 years old and was consideringa possible future with the department.

"We were shocked," he said. "He was planning out his future and where it would go from there, and obviously someof that will be on hold for a while."

Schalmisin custody and is scheduled to make hisfirst court appearancein Stony Plain provincial courton Wednesday.

Fire department shocked, chief says

The CN bridgefire forced the evacuation of nearby schools and atrailer park with 38 mobile homes. Some Lac St. Anne County residents living nearbywere also told to be ready to leave onone-hour notice.

Fire chief Schroeder said last week almost three dozen firefighters from four different fire departments in the areawere called to help douse the flames, alongside agriculture and forestry services members, helicopters and a water bomber.

The loss of the bridge will impact the lumber and oil industries "extensively," Schroeder said.

He said the fire department is struggling to come to terms with the charges against one of their own.

"We're certainly very shocked, bewildered, wounded and a little hurt on the discovery of this," he said. "The discovery that one of our own potentially lit 18 fires is definitely affecting our station, for sure."

Schroeder and MayerthorpeMayor Kate Patrick said in a news release that members of the fire department will undergo "critical incident stress debriefing," and that individual counselling will be available to all members over word of the charges.

Schroeder said the department is still functioning normally and providing service as usual for the community, and also extendingtheir support to the Schalm family.

"We understand that this has got to be a tremendously trying time for his family members," he said.

'There will always be a dinner plate at my table for my son'

Albert Schalm said he hasn't yet been able to speak with his son, but that the community has been supportive of thefamily.

Schalmwas mayor ofMayerthorpein 2005, when fourRCMPofficers were shot and killed near the town.

This is a community that I've poured my heart and soul into. Moving this community forward, that's still goingto continue.- Albert Schalm, father of accused in Mayerthorpe, Alta., arsons

"We're thankful that this is over for the community, and for ourselvesand for everybody, and that nobody got hurt, there were no serious injuries. You have to be really thankful for that.

"This is a community that I've poured my heart and soul into. Moving this community forward, that's still goingto continue."

Schalm's son was expected to graduate high school in two months, and the family is now focusing on their son's future, Schalm said.

Despite what he calls a "dark period,"he said his family's focus will remain on his son, and their Christian faith.

"We refuse to be devastated by this. I refuse to throw my son under the bus. I'm not that kind of dad. My goal is to get him back on the road, get his future going again."