..still finding unattended campfires in BC...

[dle]

I guess some people are thinking that with the cooler temps and fall weather we are now in, that it's no biggie to leave the campfire without putting it out. Fire danger might not be extreme right now but it's by no means at zero threat which means we can't take any chances - ever - we need to protect our forests - ALL of us, all the time.

Remember what Smokey says....

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#208664

I see from thie article that the penalties for abandoning a campfire are:

Anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition could be issued a ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. If the campfire causes a wildfire, the violator may be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.

These sound like they would be good deterrents but, seriously, has there ever been anyone hit with anything other than the $1,150 fine for abandoning the fire? They have caught plenty of people doing it and I think it would have hit the news if anyone had received the $10,000 admin penalty, the $100,000 fine and/or jail.

People tend to remember what penalties are actually handed down to others for doing the things they are up to themselves- when they recognize that no one has actually been handed the large sentences then it doesn't act as much of a deterrent.

This is a pet peeve of mine about "laws" and "consequences of breaking laws".....I feel that if we are going to have laws, and big penalties supposedly if you break that law, and go to the time and expensive of putting them into being in the first place, then we should hand them down or not bother having the sentences at all because soon people realize that while the consequence does exist on the books, it's really of no consequence! It's all just "blowing smoke" so to speak.....

Now, if it is on the news that someone, even one person, was handed one of the severe sentences, people might sit up and take notice that since it did happen to someone else then it could happen to them... it might make them think twice. Otherwise, a lot of people will just go meh....not going to happen. I mean obviously even a fine of $1,150 for each person at the offending campfire site isn't big enough because we keep hearing about it going on so we have to keep raising the bar until it hits home with the majority of people that hey, this could very easily cost me dearly, probably smart to just not do it....

[GordonH]

Can't fix dumb stupid people.

[johnny24]

*removed*

[Bsuds]

Can't fix dumb stupid people.

We should "Fix" them so they can't reproduce!

[Fancy]

A couple out enjoying a fall hike and some nature photography was shocked to find an abandoned campfire still burning at Peachand Lake on Monday.

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#208729