The BC Conservation Service (BCCOS) has revealed that, over the first long weekend that the campfire ban has been in effect, $29,900 in fines were handed out to non-compliant individuals.
The fines handed out were only from the BC Wildfire Service’s Coastal Fire Centre, which includes the Lower Mainland, Sea-to-Sky, Vancouver Island, Central Coast and Haida Gwaii areas.
In total, 26 violation tickets were issued in these regions by conservation officers, each costing $1,150.
According to BCCOS, in the Sea-to-Sky zone alone, 16 tickets were handed out to people having illegal campfires, totalling $18,400.
BCCOS added that at some campfires, multiple people were issued tickets.
On Vancouver Island, conservation officers issued just two tickets for illegal campfires, totalling $2,300.
However, another two violation tickets were handed out to two individuals who entered a restricted area near the Wesley Ridge wildfire, which now covers 538 hectares, and has caused hundreds to flee their homes.
The campfire ban for Vancouver Island began on July 17th, and is slated to be rescinded on October 31st, unless lifted by the BCWS.
Those who received only a $1,150 fine for having an unlawful campfire may want to count themselves as lucky, as the repercussions could have been much worse.
The penalties could have included an administrative fee of $10,000, or, if convicted in court, those with unlawful campfires could be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced for up to one year in jail.
Additionally, if an unlawful campfire causes or contributes to a wildfire, individuals may be fined up to $1 million and/or sentenced to up to three years in jail.
Those who cause a wildfire are also legally bound to pay for all firefighting and associated costs, according to the BCWS.
