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
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston, Ont., Hamilton, Ont., Brampton, Ont., and Montreal.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Record-breaking N.B. lottery winner kept winning ticket on dresser for nearly a year
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.