Conservation officers doing patrols in parts of B.C. where campfires are banned fined 19 scofflaws over the weekend. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service posted a statement online Monday saying a total of $21,850 in violation tickets were issued. “Claiming you didn’t know about the campfire ban is not an acceptable excuse,” the post said. The enforcement came as some areas of the province are seeing increased wildfire activity and evacuations, and as conditions are heightening the risk of new starts and aggressive growth. Current bans cover the areas served by the Cariboo, Kamloops, and southeast fire centres as well as some parts of the South Coast. “The B.C. government recognizes that people also enjoy having campfires, so it takes any decision to implement a campfire prohibition very seriously. Wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility,” a recent statement from the B.C. Wildfire Service said, announcing an incoming ban. “Human-caused wildfires are completely preventable and divert critical resources away from lightning-caused wildfires.” People caught violating a campfire ban face a $1,150 fine, and potentially an additional administrative penalty of up to $10,000. Those convicted in court can face even steeper fines of up to $100,000, plus a potential sentence of one year in jail. In the event an illegal campfire causes a wildfire, those responsible can also be on the hook for any subsequent firefighting costs.
