After receiving several recent reports of people tossing lit cigarette butts outside their vehicles, local RCMP want to remind the public of the dangers associated with this kind of careless act even when the Okanagan heat doesn’t seem extreme.
The police say such complaints will be treated “very seriously,” with a follow-up investigation carried out when there is sufficient evidence to do so.
“Time may have faded the memories of some but for those who lost their homes in the Okanagan Mountain Park fire of 2003 or in the wildfires since, those memories will never fade,” said an RCMP news release.
“Where grounds exist, the RCMP will enforce fines under the Motor Vehicle Act and the Wildfire Act.
Fines under the Wildfire Act may exceed $5,000 and persons found responsible for causing a fire may be subject to a fine of up to $1 million and/or up to three years imprisonment.”
If you see someone toss a lit cigarette butt out of their car window, record the vehicle licence plate number and notify police.