Tossed cigarette linked to fire on Saanich median
A cigarette tossed out of a vehicle caused the June 26 brush fire on a Saanich median, says the Saanich Fire Department.
The blaze on the median that divides the northbound and southbound lanes of Blanshard Street near Saanich Road shut down the busy corridor for about an hour as Saanich firefighters worked to stop the flames from spreading along the dry grass.
Fire inspectors found a cigarette butt near the area where the fire started, a few feet from the curb, said Lt. Insp. Carl Trepels.
Trepels said the quick response from the fire department stopped the flames from getting out of control.
The first firefighters to arrive found a fire measuring aboout 40 by 80 feet.
Heavy winds caused it to spread uphill, he said.
Trepels said it’s “extremely frustrating” that people aren’t getting the message about not throwing cigarette butts out of car windows.
“It just shows you what one cigarette can do,” he said.
“It’s extremely dry out there and if you’re going to smoke in your vehicle, do not discard it, put it out in a container with water.”
Throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle can result in a fine of $81 under the Motor Vehicle Act or a $575 fine under the Wildfire Act if you are near forest or grassland.