RCMP say a Williams Lake man, happy to be home, has been fined for setting off fireworks in celebration of the lifted evacuation orders.
Mounties responded to reports of mischief in progress in the area of Carson Drive and Central Court Saturday morning, where they found a 34-year-old intoxicated man on his property where police found several empty fireworks canisters, according to a news release.
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The evacuation order was lifted for the city more than a week ago, but crews are still battling 14 active fires in the Cariboo region – some thousands of hectares in size.
Officials have stated their concern for the tinder-dry conditions, resulting in ongoing campfire bans and on off-road vehicles in the Southeast, Cariboo and Kamloops regions.
“The 34-year-old Williams Lake man later told police that he set the fireworks off in celebration of returning home after his evacuation,” Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey said.
The man was arrested and released with $1,000 in fines relating to allegedly dropping, releasing or mishandling a burning substance, as well as for failing to comply with high risk activity restrictions under both the provincial BC Wildfire Act and its Regulations, police said.
“It is careless acts such as this that have the real potential to trigger even more interface wildfires in the area,” O’Donaghey said.
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