Amended wildfire laws propose tripling of some fines

Courtesy of the BC Government Caucus:

The B.C. government is taking a tougher stand to discourage behaviour that contributes to increased wildfire risks to help protect communities, natural resources and infrastructure from wildfire damage.

Proposed legislative amendments introduced last week as part of the Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 12) include provisions aimed specifically at people who interfere with firefighting efforts in B.C.

“Between 30 and 40 per cent of wildfires in B.C. are caused by humans,” Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett said. “Wildfire prevention is everyone’s responsibility, and these legislative amendments contain tough new regulations to discourage people from interfering in wildfire suppression or violating our wildfire laws.”

Additional legislative changes will result in significantly increased ticket fines for 19 violations under the Wildfire Act and for seven violations under Wildfire Regulation. These changes mean that B.C. now has some of the highest wildfire-related violation ticket fines in the country.

For example, the fine for failing to comply with a fire restriction under the Wildfire Act is increasing from $345 (including a $45 victim surcharge) to $1,150 (including a $150 victim surcharge). This represents a 333.33 per cent increase over the previous fine for that offence.

In addition:

• Bill 12 clarifies what is considered to be “interference” in terms of actions that could hinder firefighters. The proposed amendments would also clarify that interference does not have to be intentional to constitute a contravention of the Wildfire Act.
• The proposed amendments to the Wildfire Act would strengthen compliance and enforcement provisions by establishing an offence and penalties of up to $100,000 and/or imprisonment for up to one year for failing to comply with a stop-work order.

The 2015 fire season was one of the busiest and most expensive in recent years, with more than 283,400 hectares burned and more than $278 million spent on wildfire management.

To report a wildfire, call 1 800 663-5555 toll-free or *5555 on a cellphone.