Enhancements to the Forest and Prairie Protection Act coming into effect this spring will include, for the first time, the ability of wildfire protection officers to issue tickets for contraventions such as leaving campfires unattended.
The tickets will range from $172 to $575.
With about 70 per cent of Alberta wildfires in 2016 caused by human activity, the changes will hopefully deter future unsafe fire behaviour, said wildlife information officer Barry Shellian.
"These are good new tools in our toolbox," Shellian said. "When we look at the number of wildfires that are started by humans we need to address this. Throughout Alberta there are many campfires that are being walked away from and left.
"(New fines are) a preventative measure to hold people accountable for their actions. It's a prevention tool."
The new fines are as follows: burning without a permit ($172), leaving a campfire unattended ($287), failing to extinguish an outdoor fire during a fire restriction or ban ($287), using tracer, incendiary ammunition, fireworks or exploding targets in a forested area ($287), failure to dispose of debris in accordance with the regulations ($287).
The fine for operating an off-highway vehicle where it is prohibited by a fire ban or forest closure is $587.
All tickets will also come with a 15 per cent victims of crime surcharge.
Interference with wildfire control operations is a mandatory court appearance.
"The updated act provides the authority to pursue the recovery of any economic gain resulting from a person's actions," he said.
"Administrative penalties will be determined by a statutory decision-maker on a case-by-case basis. Industrial users who knowingly contravene the act and start a wildfire can be fined up to $1 million."
Individuals who knowingly contravene the act by starting a wildfire can be fined up to $100,000 or imprisoned for up to two years.
"We passed important legislation to help deter unsafe behaviour and give our wildland firefighters more tools to keep Albertans and their communities safe," Oneil Carlier, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, said in a release.
"When we look at the number of wildfires that are started by humans we need to address this."Barry Shellian, wildfire information officer
