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Alberta man frustrated with people throwing cigarette butts from vehicles

Click to play video: 'Southern Alberta man frustrated with people throwing cigarette butts out vehicle windows'
Southern Alberta man frustrated with people throwing cigarette butts out vehicle windows
WATCH: A confrontation over a cigarette butt thrown out a vehicle window near Welling has gotten a lot of attention, with one man saying he’s frustrated that some people don’t seem to understand the risks. Quinn Campbell reports – Sep 6, 2017

Wayne Dick confronted a passenger of a truck stopped in a long line of vehicles waiting for a crash scene to be cleared near Welling, in southern Alberta last week.

He said he saw the man toss a cigarette butt out the window.

“I went around and picked up the cigarette butt and I could see in the grass, it already started burning,” Dick said. “I just went up to their truck, I can’t really remember what I said but I’m sure it wasn’t pleasant.

“I said, ‘come on guys, grow up’ and I started walking away. I figured that would be it but they opened their door and asked me if I had a problem and that’s when I did have a problem.”

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READ MORE: Fire threatening Waterton grows north along Alberta border, may pass into Castle river valley 

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Dick is a former volunteer firefighter and has seen first-hand the devastating consequences.

“You see it every year, especially this time of year, with people’s carelessness, the amount of fires that happen because people are just not thinking.”

READ MORE: Wildfire risk prompts government to expand closures in Alberta 

Fire bans, even closures, span across southern Alberta, putting law enforcement on high alert.

Staff Sgt. Glenn Henry with the Coaldale RCMP said everyone needs to do their part to prevent fires.

“From a legal perspective, there is a number of issues, there is a number of provincial acts in regards to littering that can be imposed upon people.”

Willow Creek passed a bylaw this year dealing directly with fire bans. Pitching a lit cigarette out the window could cost you anywhere from $500 to $10,000.

For the latest update from Parks Canada, click here

Coalhurst Fire Chief Mathew Conte added the constant calls pile up on his volunteer department.

“Members are leaving their home lives, work or whatever may be going on at that time [to respond to] these fires, so it does add up, especially when we get multiple fires day after day. Especially during work hours, we are finding members can’t exactly leave work every day anymore to come to calls.”
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And with no rain in the forecast, the threat of fire won’t be snuffed out anytime soon.

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