A wildfire an Osoyoos area man caused can be seen in this photo contributed by the B.C. Conservation Service. The man is on the hook for $5,750 in fines after a fire set to burn cardboard turned into a wildfire that threatened a rural subdivision near Osoyoos in August, 2013. Credit: Contributed

Illegal fire proves costly to province, Osoyoos area man

PENTICTON – A fire set to burn cardboard has proved costly for a South Okanagan resident.

An Osoyoos area man was fined $5,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge fee of $750 after pleading guilty to a section of the wildfire act in Penticton Provincial court, Nov. 9.

The man was accused of burning cardboard on his property on August 13, 2013 during an open fire ban.

The buring cardboard sparked a fast growing wildfire that resulted in neighbouring property owners having to temporarily evacuate their homes northwest of Osoyoos near Spotted Lake.

B.C. Wildfire Management utilized 35 firefighters, two helicopters and five air tankers along with support from the Osoyoos Fire Department to control the blaze, at a cost of $133,000.

Wildfire Management involved the Conservation Officer Service Major Investigation Unit during the investigation, which ultimatley became a coordinated effort between the Conservation office, the RCMP, and the Ministry of Forests.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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4 responses

  1. Cousin Brucie

    Should be arrestedserve time and pay the full $133,000.00. These kind of people are either stupid or just don’t care.

  2. Suzanne Cross

    This man knowingly started a fire during the open fire ban & what is typically the hottest, driest month of summer in the Okanagan.In my opinion he is responsible for all costs of fighting the fire that he alone caused.

  3. Shelda Hutton

    What??? Cost to taxpayers 133,000 and him only 5,750???? Why???? He should have to pay the whole thing.I am sick of paying for other people who break the law!

  4. Susan-Ronald Peterson

    Once again we are paying BEING PUNISHED for someone else’s arrogance or stupidity

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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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