Man charged with arson in connection with Pearce Estate Park fire
![pearce estate park fire As firefighters worked quickly to contain the blaze, police blocked off the area and evacuated the park, which had many people out enjoying the evening.](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2023/6/5/pearce-estate-park-fire-1-6428847-1686022044043.jpg)
After allegedly admitting to starting a fire in Pearce Estate Park in Calgary's southeast on Monday, a man now faces a charge of arson.
The fire was ignited in the grass and brush between Harvie Passage and the Bow Habitat Station and Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery around 6 p.m.
As firefighters worked quickly to contain the blaze, police blocked off the area and evacuated the park.
Police say officers were approached by a man and that he confessed the ordeal was his doing.
"The man told police he collected white fluffy debris that had fallen off nearby trees, placed it in a pile on the ground and subsequently lit it on fire," police said Tuesday in a release to media.
Danny Manuel Deringer, 33, was charged with arson and is scheduled to appear in court Friday.
The fire ended up covering more than one hectare.
It burned toward the Bow River and there were no reports of injuries or any property being damaged.
"At first, we thought it might have been a campfire that was gone awry but at the same time, like, the fire never really seemed wild, per se," said one bystander.
"You can see that it was the cotton fluff that was burning. And you can actually see it sizzling along the edges of the pathway and all that but there was never a moment where I was genuinely concerned other than for my asthma."
Firefighters remained on the scene for some time monitoring for hot spots.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6979388.1722030190!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
BREAKING Celine Dion stages comeback with performance at Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Celine Dion staged the comeback of her career during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Paris Olympics kicks off with ambitious but rainy opening ceremony on the Seine River
Celebrating its reputation as a cradle of revolution, Paris kicked off its first Summer Olympics in a century on Friday with a rain-soaked, rule-breaking opening ceremony studded with stars and fantasy along the Seine River.
Jasper wildfire: 'Several weeks' before Jasper can return, premier says
Premier Danielle Smith said Friday afternoon in Hinton while weather conditions are cooler, the Jasper fire is still considered out of control and that Jasper residents can expect to be away from their homes "for several weeks."
Health Canada warns some naloxone kits contain false instructions
Health Canada is warning some take-home naloxone kits come with bad instructions that should be ignored in favour of the correct guidance.
'He was just gone': Police ramp up search for vulnerable 3-year-old boy in Mississauga, Ont.
Police in Mississauga are conducting a full-scale search of the city’s biggest park for a non-verbal toddler who went missing Thursday evening. Sgt. Jennifer Trimble told reporters Friday morning that there has been no trace of three-year-old Zaid Abdullah since 6:20 p.m., when he was last seen with his parents in Erindale Park, near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn $146,000 for water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six figure water bill.
Major Canadian bank experiences direct deposit outage on payday
Scotiabank says it has fixed a technical issue that impacted direct deposits on Friday morning.