September 27, 2018- A New Liskeard man has been fined $1,000 for violating the Forest Fires Prevention Act.

Steven Huppe pleaded guilty to driving on a closed road during a forest fire emergency.

Court heard that on July 24, 2018, Huppe was stopped by conservation officers 29 kilometres past a barricade on Beauty Lake Road in the Elk Lake area. Travel restrictions were in place due to a forest fire. The officers determined that Huppe had been turned away at the barricade. He then used a small side road to detour around the barricade and re-access Beauty Lake Road.

Justice of the Peace Diane Lafleur heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Haileybury, on September 13, 2018.

To report a natural resources violation, call the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry TIPS line at 1-877-847-7667 toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). And visit Ontario.ca/mnrftips to view an interactive, searchable map of unsolved cases. You may be able to provide information that will help solve a case.