Three charged in northern Ont. for having campfire during fire ban
Three people have been charged this week after having campfires during the fire ban and one person could be fined up to $25,000 or face jail time.
ELLIOT LAKE
Ontario Provincial Police said officers were on patrol in the northeastern community of Elliot Lake on Wednesday night when they came upon people having a campfire.
The illegal campfire was spotted near Spruce Beach around 9:30 p.m. May 31, the day after the municipal fire ban went into effect and the day before the regional fire ban was declared by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
"Police recognized the individuals and knew they were breaching prior release conditions by being together. Additionally, there were arrest warrants out for one of the two and a subsequent arrest was made," OPP said in a news release.
A 53-year-old man was charged with two counts of failing to comply with a probation order.
Elliot Lake Fire Chief John Thomas told CTV News in a phone interview charges are being laid against two people in connection to the municipal fire ban.
Thomas said the penalty is $500 each.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Due to the extreme forest fire hazard northeastern Ontario has been declared a restricted fire zone.
"No open-air burning, including campfires, is permitted within the boundaries of a restricted fire zone. Portable gas or propane stoves may be used for cooking and warmth, but must be handled with extreme caution," MNRF said.
"All burning permits are suspended. The restricted fire zone is in place until further notice."
OTTO TOWNSHIP
A third person was charged Thursday for having a fire in the Timiskaming District.
Officers from the Kirkland Lake OPP detachment received a complaint June 1 about a person having a fire during the regional fire ban.
"As a result, a 43-year-old person, from Otto Township, has been charged with unlawfully start(ing) fire in a restricted fire zone," OPP said on social media.
"Once a restricted fire zone is declared, it is illegal to set a fire for any purpose within the affected area unless specific conditions have been met," MNRF said.
The penalty they could be facing is a fine of up to $25,000, three months in jail and/or financial responsibility for any costs incurred in fighting a forest fire.
FOREST FIRES IN THE NORTHEAST
Eight new wildfires were confirmed in the northeast on Thursday and there are currently 11 active fires in the north.
Wawa 3, a fire that started near White River May 27 has grown to 6,810.6 hectares and is still out of control.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.