B.C. may ban backcountry travel

About time. Sad that the government has to step in because a handful of retards can't stop throwing cigarette butts onto a dry forest floor.

if the hazards are going to harm any individual who is visiting the place than I think this would be a right decision by them.

It's a shame they have to implement this, just because people are too freaking stupid.

It's not just stupidity. I would guess the majority of backcountry travellers don't smoke. But catalytic converters can start fires if the vehicle is parked over a fuel source. Many backcountry travellers insist on campfires, or are careless with campstoves. But there's also the danger to them if they get caught in a naturally occuring fire. We were once in the backcountry in Manning Park which a fire nearby - we would get waves of heat washing over us and we would retreat into a lake to deal with it. And we were ready to boot it out of there if it came any closer - the downhill ski area was not too far away, and we would have headed for it - few trees and you can run downhill faster than the fire can.

I read somewhere that 40% of the fires are people-induced (Right word?)
The rest is lightning.

BTW, I never said it was because people smoked, but because of peoples stupidity. I would guess most backcountry 4x4-ers do smoke tho.

It's not just stupidity. I would guess the majority of backcountry travellers don't smoke. But catalytic converters can start fires if the vehicle is parked over a fuel source. Many backcountry travellers insist on campfires, or are careless with campstoves. But there's also the danger to them if they get caught in a naturally occuring fire. We were once in the backcountry in Manning Park which a fire nearby - we would get waves of heat washing over us and we would retreat into a lake to deal with it. And we were ready to boot it out of there if it came any closer - the downhill ski area was not too far away, and we would have headed for it - few trees and you can run downhill faster than the fire can.

True. Hunting, ATVs, campers... all of these people are as guilty as the idiots who drop smokes. As you say, it takes one hot exaust pipe, one flame from a shot gun shell, one spark from a tiny campfire... etc to begin a massive fire.

sometimes these decisions are based on studies that were not challenge when first released. In Alberta there are a study in early 200x that concluded that ATV were mainly responsible for causing grass fires in Alberta. imo, the study is inacurate, and poorly reviewed........yet, Alberta parks is now using this study to promote their agenda to ban ATVs from Alberta

Well, ultimately it's better to ban ATVs in particular in order to prevent fires than it is to ban people in general.

Well, ultimately it's better to ban ATVs in particular in order to prevent fires than it is to ban people in general.

if its based on good sound unbiased science, then I agree. however, I still question the data that leads to their conclusions. Alot of these studies would not stand up to the same sort of ethics review that a medical based clinical trial goes through.

Well, ultimately it's better to ban ATVs in particular in order to prevent fires than it is to ban people in general.

if its based on good sound unbiased science, then I agree. however, I still question the data that leads to their conclusions. Alot of these studies would not stand up to the same sort of ethics review that a medical based clinical trial goes through.

Well I shouldn't think they would. Frankly, if it's a bad call on a medical issue, people die. If it's a bad call that ATVs don't go in the back country, then people get inconvenienced.

true, but why change the status quo until there is sound science behind it? ATV are currently allowed, lets put a ban on 'bad calls'.....hell, if you want to add some irony, lets based the ban on bad calls on poor science.

Unfortunately this ban won't work. How do they plan to enforce it? Even if some retarted inbred thrill seeking adrenaline junkie does start a forest fire how are they going to prove it was him?

It sounds good on paper but it's like the lock on the door theory, it only keeps out the honest people. If these bans worked we'd never have a lost skier, a dead snowmobiler or a hungry hiker.

besides its not back country travel if I choose to camp on the same crown land that is being leased and used for grazing cows

If you Ban Law Abiding citizens from using ATVs in the back country, then only Criminals will have ATVs in the back country!!!!!!!!!!