Saanich Police are urging smokers to not throw their cigarette butts out of vehicle windows to avoid brush fires being ignited.
With the weather heating up to 26°C this weekend, and current conditions in the area being dry, a cigarette butt could easily start a fire if disposed of in a careless way.
If caught, Saanich Police will issue a $575 fine to smokers tossing their butts out of vehicles’ windows, as per the Provincial Wildlife Act.
“This reminder comes after our officers assisted Saanich Fire with traffic control this morning as their crews dealt with a grass fire on the Pat Bay Hwy’s Quadra Street exit offramp,” said Saanich Police in a social media post.
“The fire was likely caused by a discarded cigarette into the dry grass and bushes.”
The current Fire Safety Rating in Saanich is ‘moderate,’ however it is illegal to have a wood fire anywhere within the District of Saanich.
Specifically, it is illegal to have any sort of beach fire and to burn wood in an outdoor fire pit, fireplace, pizza oven or chiminea.
According to Saanich’s bylaws, the only types of fire that is permitted are propane fires.
