OVER 140 wildfires are currently burning in British Columbia, yet people continue to throw their cigarette butts out their windows even as we face tinder-dry conditions, note Abbotsford Police.

On Tuesday, a patrol officer observed a lit cigarette butt being thrown from a vehicle. This resulted in a hefty $575 fine being issued under the Wildfire Act.

Abbotsford Police say this is nothing compared to the full cost of battling a new fire, nor for any loss of homes, lives, property or livestock. They will continue to issue fines for these careless actions as they point out that every cigarette thrown from a car is a risk to cause a life-threatening fire for not only motorists, but also for emergency crews responding to a situation that can be avoided.

“We attend multiple structure fires and human caused fire tragedies every year when people discard smoking materials in dry plant pots outside their dwelling, in landscape bark mulch, and dry grass. Please use caution at all times but especially during these extended times of drought. Please call 911 to report all fires,” says Jeff Adams, Deputy Chief, Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service.

If you see a person throwing a cigarette butt from a car or people dropping cigarette butts in areas that could cause a fire, call *5555 or 1-800-663-5555 or call Abbotsford Police Department at 604-859-5225 or text at 222973 (abbypd).