An important reminder during Washington’s drier months: Don't be a litterbug. It's bad for the environment — and your bank account.
Law enforcement in Washington is reminding drivers that tossing a cigarette from your vehicle could bring a $1,025 fine. If the cigarette sparked a fire, those fire-fighting costs and damages could also be passed along.
Fires caused by cigarettes are more common than one might think. Firefighters say they’ve already put out a brush fire caused by a “carelessly discarded cigarette" near Peninsula College in Port Angeles this year.
The Washington State Patrol says the base penalty for littering is set by the state Supreme Court. Fines range from $50 to $5,000 in Washington state, according to the state Department of Ecology, with the largest fines for "lit debris" and unsecured loads.
Firefighters battled several brush fires along main roadways last year, with WSP cautioning against tossing lit cigarettes.
