Photo: Flickr/PRO Leonard J Matthews

A discarded cigarette butt can cause serious damage – in seconds.

Firefighters in Vancouver conducted a demonstration showing just how fast a flicked butt can spark an aggressive fire.

Vancouver Fire Rescue training officer Randy Schenderling lit a cigarette and laid it on a dried-out area of grass at the department's training centre.

He then tapped a flame from a lighter against the grass touching the cigarette and it quickly ignited.

It took only 40 seconds for a square metre of grass to be scorched, with flames spreading due to a light breeze.

The BC Wildfire Service says failing to extinguish a burning substance could land you a $575 fine, and dropping, releasing or mishandling a burning substance another $575.

– with files from CTV Vancouver