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The rate of fires reportedly caused by cigarette butts has decreased in recent years.

As the weather continues to warm the air and ground are drying, and there is a chance of sunny skies and careless smokers.

Following online rants from community members reporting having seen drivers tossing lit cigarettes butts from their car windows, a fire expert spoke on how many fires are truly caused from improperly discarded butts.

If the possibility of being responsible for starting a wildfire from discarding a lit cigarette from your car window doesn't deter you, a fine may.

In 2016, the province increased fines for an array of wildfire-related violations, now having some of the highest wildfire-related violation ticket fines in Canada.

Failing to report fire will set you back $383, while the fine for dropping, releasing or mishandling a burning substance like a cigarette butt is $575.

If you’re caught with light, fuel, or using fire against regulations, you could be fined $1,150.

BC Wildfire Services said that although the Okanagan is synonymous with dry and hot conditions, the Kootenays can also be very dry in the summer.

“Improperly discarded smoking materials are always a wildfire risk, no matter where they are tossed,” said BC Wildfire information officer Aydan Coray.

Coray explained that a 10-year average has shown that discarded smoking materials cause over twice as many smoking-related fires in the Kamloops Fire Centre (41) as they do in the Southeast Fire Centre (20).

However, it’s important to note that the Kamloops FC is much more densely populated. Considering the difference in population, there appears to be more smoking-related fires in the Kootenays than in the Okanagan.

One of the biggest misconceptions people have about tossing cigarette butts out the window is it is still a major cause of wildfires. The 10-year average for smoking-related wildfires accounts for about one per cent of the total wildfires in B.C.

According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, there were 140 smoking-related wildfire incidents between 2015-2024.

Between 1955-1964, there were a total of 2,857. That's a 95 per cent decrease in smoking-related wildfires over 60 years.

There have also been a significant drop in the number of people who smoke in the province. According to the provincial government, the smoking rate for B.C. residents aged 15 and older declined from 29 per cent in 1991 to 22 per cent in 1997.

Furthermore, the smoking rate for adults aged 25 to 44 decreased from 21 per cent in 2009 to 16 per cent in 2010.

According to the Southeast Fire Centre, there has been a general decrease in smoking-related incidents in the Arrow and Kootenay Lake fire zones. In the past 10 years, there were nine fires total with smoking materials listed as the cause.

However, that number dropped to three for the same area in the past five years, from 2020-2024.

BC Wildfire Service said although they don’t base a lot of their education on fire safety around the dangers of smoking outside of putting out a responsible smoking message on social media, they explained that people should still remain mindful.

“We still need people to be vigilant. Cars no longer feature ashtrays, which means that people may be more likely to discard finished smoking materials out of their car window,” said Coray

If you do smoke, make sure you carry a pocket ashtray, or make sure your cigarette is crushed out and properly disposed of in a safe receptacle.

“Smoking-related wildfires have caused considerable damage in the past and will again in the future unless people take care.”