New administrative penalties up to $100,000 and increased fines for contraventions of the Wildfire Act will be taking immediate effect in BC.
All off-road vehicles operating on Crown Land are also now required to have a spark arrestor installed to reduce wildfire risks.
The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Operations and Rural Development made the announcement Thursday.
“These changes reflect the tougher stand that our government is taking to eliminate unnecessary wildfire risks, encourage compliance, protect communities from harm and help keep British Columbians safe,” said Minister Doug Donaldson in a news release.
Effective Immediately:
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- The cost of a contravention of the Wildfire Act 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.
- 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.
- Administrative monetary penalty up to $10,000 for not complying with a stop-work order.
- Spark arrestors for all off-road vehicles (ORVs) operating on Crown Land. 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.
