Victoria – It’s interesting that this Provincial announcement comes one day after the wildfire season started, unofficially, after a fire broke out near Lytton.
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Effective Thursday March 22, the British Columbia government has increased some wildfire-related penalties up to $100,000, to assist with fire prevention and discourage irresponsible off-road vehicle use.
The announcement came from Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.
Spark arrestors required for off-road vehicles (ORVs):
- All off-road vehicles are now required to have a spark arrestor installed to reduce wildfire risks when operating on Crown land. A spark arrestor is a small screen or other device that is installed in an exhaust system to stop sparks or other exhaust residue from exiting the tailpipe.
- Many new models of ORVs already have a spark arrestor. Owners of older models that do not have spark arrestors will need to get them installed if they wish to operate the ORV on Crown land.
- A contravention could result in a violation ticket fine of $460 or an administrative monetary penalty of up to $10,000 if an ORV without a spark arrestor is operating at a time or place where there is a risk of a wildfire starting.
- If a wildfire starts, the 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.
Increased or additional fines for wildfire-related infractions:
- The Wildfire Regulation has been amended to add a new administrative monetary penalty up to $100,000 for violations related to utility transmission operations. 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. Similar provisions are in place for other industrial activities, so this amendment makes the Wildfire Regulation consistent across the sector.
- The Wildfire Regulation has been amended to add a new administrative monetary penalty up to $10,000 for not complying with a stop-work order. This change will give the Province additional compliance and enforcement options to deal with people who continue to engage in a high-risk activity after a stop-work order has been issued.
- The Violation Ticket Administration and Fines Regulation has been amended to increase three fines for contraventions of the Wildfire Act. The cost of a contravention 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; and
- failing to comply with an order to leave a specified area.
