A B.C. man learned a costly lesson about minding the province’s strict fire bans this week. Authorities said the 38-year-old Langford resident was caught starting a fire in Thetis Lake Regional Park, located on Vancouver Island in the Greater Victoria area, on Thursday afternoon. The man had apparently sparked the fire hoping to “dry his wet pants,” West Shore RCMP said in a news release Friday. He was warned about the dangers of setting fires during the current dry conditions, and handed a $1,150 ticket under B.C.’s Wildfire Act for failing to comply with a fire ban, the RCMP said. Most of the Coastal Fire Centre – which includes all of Vancouver Island, plus the Lower Mainland, Sea to Sky region, Central Coast and Haida Gwaii – is under Category 1, 2 and 3 fire bans. That didn’t stop dozens of campers from starting fires over the B.C. Day long weekend, resulting in nearly $30,000 in fines. (LINK TO MINA) “With extremely dry conditions and a campfire ban in effect, even a small spark can lead to a devastating wildfire,” said Const. Kelsi Yoxall of the West Shore RCMP, in a statement. “We are asking everyone to do their part and respect the ban – it’s about protecting our communities and the natural spaces we are so lucky to enjoy.” The bans are currently scheduled to remain in place until Oct. 31.
