Zero Tolerance for Campfires
Web posted on Thursday, 06 August 2009
British Columbia compliance officers are out in
large numbers to enforce the campfire ban.
"British Columbia continues to face severe wildfire conditions and
everyone needs to do their part," said Bell. "That means no campfires,
no fireworks, and no careless discarding of cigarette butts. And if you
ignore any of the bans, don't think you'll get off with a verbal
warning. You can expect a fine."
More than 340 staff from the Ministry of Forests and Range and the
Ministry of Environment will be out enforcing campfire bans and other
restrictions, with violation tickets ranging from $173 to $345. Under
the Wildfire Act, penalties for causing a wildfire, even accidentally,
can range up to $1,000,000 and three years' imprisonment, in addition to
liability for costs and damages.
"For those of us planning to visit a BC Park during these challenging
times, it is critical that we respect the fire restrictions," said
Minister of Environment Barry Penner. "Staff patrolling our Parks will
have zero-tolerance for anyone who ignores the bans on campfires."
Local police forces, RCMP, and local government by-law officers will
also be enforcing fire restrictions within their jurisdictions.
Between July 24 and August 3, Ministry of Forests and Range compliance
and enforcement staff issued 54 tickets to people violating the campfire
ban, as well as discovering and extinguishing 100 campfires and five
abandoned campfires. Over the August long weekend, over 100 people per
day called to report campfire violations.
"At any point in time we have up to 400 helicopters and planes in the
air and close to 4,000 workers on the ground, doing an incredible job,"
added Bell. "Every British Columbian can support them by staying out of
the back country and calling us to report any smoke and fires."
The 2009 wildfire season has been one of the most active and dangerous
in recent memory. There have been 2,300 fires this year, 800 more than
at the same point in 2003.
The public reports nearly half of all wildfires in B.C. Please continue
to report smoke and flames by calling toll-free 1-800-663-5555 or *5555
on most cellular networks. For the latest information, visit
http://bcwildfire.ca. |