Over the past five years, fire service organizations in Washington state have reported more than 1,300 fires caused by cigarettes in the wildland or cultivated vegetation. You may recall, a discarded cigarette ignited a brush fire in the median of Interstate 5 near Des Moines last July, blocking traffic and causing a 3 to 4 mile back up in each direction.

According to state Fire Marshal Charles M. Duffy there guidelines to avoid a similar situation. Smokers should fully extinguish their cigarettes in a noncombustible container or ashtray. Do not throw lit cigarettes out of moving vehicles or directly on the ground, not only does this action increase the potential for a fire, but it is considered littering and can result in a $1,024 fine. Also, if the cigarette causes a fire, the litterer could face criminal charges.