New administrative penalties up to $100,000 and increased fines for contraventions of the Wildfire Act will be taking immediate effect in BC.
According to the province, all off-road vehicles operating on Crown Land are also now required to have a spark arrestor installed to reduce wildfire risks.
“These changes reflect the tougher stand that our government is taking to eliminate unnecessary wildfire risks, encourage compliance, protect communities from harm and help keep British Columbians safe,” says Forests Minister Doug Donaldson.
The cost of a contravention of the Wildfire Act will increase from $767 to $1,150 for:
Failing to comply with restricted area requirements
Failing to comply with an order restricting an activity or use
Failing to comply with an order to leave a specified area.
Examples would be when a wildfire is started by a downed power line, or when vegetation near a utility line has not been adequately maintained and a tree falls on an energized line, starting a fire.
If a wildfire starts, an operator could receive a violation ticket fine of $575, an administrative monetary penalty of up to $10,000, or a court fine up to $1,000,000 and/or up to three years in jail.
The person responsible could also be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
– with files from Rebecca Kelli, My Cariboo Now
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