Quebec man pleads guilty to setting 14 forest fires—Trudeau claimed it was climate change

A Quebec man has admitted to setting a series of forest fires that ravaged the province and forced hundreds of people to flee their homes last year.

Brian Paré, 38, had posted numerous conspiracy theories online suggesting the government had deliberately ignited the blazes. At the same time, the Trudeau Liberals blamed climate change.

According to CTV News, Paré pleaded guilty to 13 counts of arson and one count of arson with disregard for human life at a courthouse in Chibougamau, Quebec on Monday. Two further charges of breaking and entering, and causing a public nuisance have been conditionally suspended.

The court has ordered a pre-trial sentencing report that will take Paré's mental state and risk to public safety into consideration. It is scheduled to be completed by April 22.

Prosecutor Marie-Phillippe Charron explained in court that two of the 14 fires now known to have been set by Paré resulted in the multi-day evacuation of nearly 500 homes in the small community of Chapais, around 260 miles northwest of the provincial capital.

"On May 31 at 8:30 pm, the town of Chapais issued a mandatory evacuation order due to the raging fires, in particular the fire at Lake Cavan as well as the airport fire, two fires that are included in the charges and were cause by the accused," Charron stated.

Many of the fires Paré set were found to have "no possible natural cause."

The now-self-admitted arsonist has been held in custody since his arrest on September 7. He was detained following an investigation that began in June after investigators believed he was at the scene of one of the fires. While he was originally tracked down as a witness, Paré's online activity matched that provided in a description by police.

He repeatedly posted conspiracy theories suggesting the fires had been set by the government in an attempt to coerce the public into believing in climate change.

Around the same time, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that forest fires were becoming more common "because of climate change."