Despite burn bans, B.C. man tells Mounties he didn't want to mow his lawn, set it on fire instead

VANCOUVER -

A B.C. man who didn't feel like cutting his grass has been fined more than $1,000 for the fire he started.

Mounties on the Sunshine Coast said they and firefighters were called to a home on the Port Mellon Highway for a report of heavy smoke on Tuesday.

The fire was called in by passengers on a passing BC Ferries vessel, who could see the fire from the water.

The home is not far from the Langdale ferry terminal.

According to the RCMP, the fire was about 10 feet in diameter, and had to be extinguished by firefighters.

As for the cause of the grassfire, in this case it was undoubtedly human.

Mounties said the homeowner told them that instead of cutting the tall grass, he'd just decided to burn it.

The province is currently under several burn bans due to the risk of wildfires in what has been an unusually hot and dry summer.

The homeowner was warned by police about the recklessness of his actions, the RCMP said. He was also fined $1,150 under the provincial Wildfire Act.