Smoking is banned in local provincial parks because of the wildfire risk. (photo submitted)

Smoking is banned in local provincial parks because of the wildfire risk. (photo submitted)

Smoking banned in parks

Visitors to local provincial parks are being told to butt out.

Visitors to local provincial parks are being told to butt out.

Because of the high wildfire threat, B.C. Parks has banned smoking in B.C. Parks, including Kalamalka Lake, Ellison and Kekuli Bay.

“Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park is currently posted with signs,” said Harold Sellars, with the Friends of Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park.

“The importance of complying with this ban should be obvious as we see and hear of the tragedies happening in many areas of B.C. We do not want a devastating forest fire here, or anywhere.”

However, Sellars says not everyone visiting the parks take the situation seriously.

“Kal Park volunteers have conducted sweeps of the trails between the Twin Bays parking lot and the point. Despite the trails being cleared of cigarette butts only 10 days ago, another 101 butts where picked up on the same trails on a single day last week,” he said.

“The smoking ban will remain in place until the Wildfire Service rescinds the campfire prohibition.”

Vernon Morning Star