Vancouver's citywide ban of smoking at beaches and parks will likely start sooner than expected because of the high risk of fires caused by recent dry weather.
The Vancouver Park Board voted unanimously in April to enforce the smoking ban starting Sept. 1 in all 224 parks, but could force smokers to butt out starting as early as Wednesday, or whenever the fire risk shifts from "high" to "extreme."
"We're expecting that come Wednesday we're going to move the fire hazard reading to extreme, which means that there will be no smoking in any of our beaches or public parks," Commissioner Ian Robertson told CTV News.
The ban prohibits people from smoking in parks, beaches, trails, golf courses, sports fields, playgrounds, as well as the seawall and parking lots within boundaries of parks.
Smokers caught disobeying the ban will be fined a minimum of $250.
Barb Floden, communications co-coordinator for the board, says that with rangers, life guards, and police beach patrol monitoring the grounds, the ban should work effectively.
"We've got staff that are out in the parks that are enforcing the rules, and over 30 park rangers out in uniform in all of our parks and beaches, reminding people of the rules," Floden told ctvbc.ca.
"As soon as you tell people it's about a fire hazard, people are more obligatory to comply -- they get it. They know it's a danger with the dry weather."
Set to improve medical and safety conditions, the ban will also help curb the amount of garbage left behind by smokers. Groups like the Stanley Park Ecology Society are in favour of the ban because the butts are toxic to the environment and will no longer be accidentally eaten by wildlife.
The Park Board is starting a public education campaign beginning before the official September ban that will include sandwich boards circulation through out golf courses and concession stands, newspaper ads, and online information.
With files from CTV British Columbia's Maria Weisgarber
