More Human Caused Wildfires This Year
Prince George, B.C. – Stiff new provincial fines haven’t helped decrease the number of human caused wildfires in British Columbia this year.
According to the BC Wildfire Service there have been 336 fires since the season officially began April 1 – 255 human caused, 22 lightning caused and the rest undetermined.
(134 in the PG Fire Centre, just six lightning caused the remaining human caused or under investigation).
At this time last year there had been 407 fires – 196 human caused and the rest undetermined.
Fire information officer Claire Allen admits she’s concerned by the increase.
“It’s definitely a concern, especially with new fines in place. We try to do as much prevention messaging as possible and really get the word out that with dry and warm conditions and increased wind speeds individuals need to be very careful with any kind of open burning.”
She says there’s no easy explanation for the increase though.
“Well it’s hard to say whether it’s an increase in human activity or just an increase in the kinds of conditions that lead to an increase in human caused fires.
“And we have seen an early and active start to the fire season but we’ve also seen an early and active start to warm and dry conditions across the province.”
Allen blames the early start on a number of factors including a low snowpack, low precipitation levels and warm weather right across the province.
As for the new $1,150 fine (which was more tripled from $345) for anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition; Prince George Fire Centre fire information officer Amanda Reynolds says tickets have been issued this year though she doesn’t have exact numbers.
Meanwhile according to B.C.’s Ministry of Environment, 10 suspected arson caused wildfires in the Peace remain under investigation.
To report a wildfire or irresponsible behaviour call 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 from a cell phone.
Comments
Well Claire may not be able to say it but I can, the reason there has not been a decrease in human caused fires is simply because people are stupid. It really is that simple folks..
Peter North, very “politically incorrect”, but oh so true!
Thanks Hart guy, I believe in calling like it is, how else can you describe someone who throws a lit cigarette out the window in tinder dry conditions or discards a cigarette in a planter filled with peat moss and burns down a condo complex except for stupid? I challenge the “politically correct” crowd to enlighten me.
And fines are all good and fine – if there was ever a chance of getting caught.
On a short walk downtown today I observed two people talking on the cell while driving. The police station was in plain view. In spite of the new fine and penalty points, still happening.
When you consider people dump garbage in the bush, drive with no care for anyone else, is it a surprise they believe they can do whatever the hell they want whenever and whatever, and that includes smoking in the back country to lighting a fire and having some beers.
Maybe it’s time for a new tax on cigarettes called the USA tax. Unknown Smoking Dumbass. We don’t know which dumbass is going to flick a butt into the dry-grass, so let’s just make all of them pay.
Unfortunately we can’t assess a tax on firewood they find in the forest.
Maybe it’s time for a new tax on cigarettes.
I have proposed this to MLA Morris without a reply back. Just like insurance, cigarette’s full cost needs to be accounted for. That one cig caused fire needs to be paid for by all smokers. Home, health, dental insurance and now even companies screen for smokers because of the extra costs these people add to the risk pool.
Do you really wonder why you haven’t received a reply?
Human caused is a generic term.
Can they be more specific.
How many are intentional, how many are not.
What percentage are caused by discarded ,cigarette, pot ,cigar ,butts.
What percentage by campfires or slash burning.
Were they started by broken glass & bottles.
Was it started by ATV’s , heavy equipment or vehicles.
Or even downed power lines.
I agree – all indivduals should pay for the mistakes of the few. Only than will we stand together to rid society of actions that may be hazardous to all. Alcohol especially should be taxed further for the number of deaths caused each year. Most wildfires have a financial damage whereas alcohol has a human life associated with it; much more expensive. Make booze and cigarettes much more expensive!
I agree to a point Medeon. But if we make all potential users guilty then we should raise the price or costs of cell phone usage as well. This may be about fires but using the same principle you suggest, cell phone use in vehicles is very quickly becoming the #1 reason for automobile accidents and deaths. Do we want those phone costs raised???
We’d all end up being punished for something we may not do… I’m not convinced that’s the best and fairest way to deal with it. I do agree in massive life changing fines and maybe some jail time though.
At the end of the day though, stupid is stupid and it’s a tough thing to cure. You can’t teach a stupid person not to be stupid, there just too stupid.
There are simply too many people out there that just dont care. It is the same problem with cell phones, littering/illegal dumping, excessive speeding, aggressive driving etc etc. Too many could care less that their behaviour/illegal actions are causing issues.
If you point out their behaviour, many get belligerant or aggressive. There is this population within our society that feel “entitled” to do as they please, I see them as “the pollution of our gene pool”. Years ago, these would have been the people that either got beaten profusely as children (and learned to be more responsible/considerate) or gotten themselves injured or killed as the result of their stupid actions. Nowadays it appears that this population of “entitled morons” has grown exponentially.
If my opinion on this matter has offended you, then I might conclude that you are one of them (or you enable one of them). So, PLEASE dont burn down our province, quit driving, quit smoking and while you’re at it…move to the USA and go support Trump!
((human caused or under investigation))
peat bogs and other build up of plant matter can spontaneously combust. just because its not lighting dosed mean its human caused.
Comments for this article are closed.