Despite a provincial state of emergency, it seems not everybody is getting the message when it comes to B.C.’s wildfire crisis.

West Shore RCMP say a motorist fined $575 for tossing a cigarette butt out of his car window told officers he thought the penalty was unnecessary and ridiculous.

The incident happened on Veterans Memorial Parkway near Goldstream Avenue in Langford at 2:20 p.m. Thursday.

The unidentified driver was seen finishing a cigarette while waiting at a red light and then tossing it out of his window in plain view of a West Shore RCMP officer.

The man was pulled over and then admitted it was his second time being caught for the offence, according to West Shore RCMP spokesman Const. Alex Berube.

When the man was advised of the ongoing wildfire situation, he reportedly told the officer that the West Shore isn’t at risk and called the fine “insane” as he dragged on another cigarette.

RCMP tweeted a copy of the ticket, issued under B.C.’s Wildfire Act, saying the driver’s actions were “simply wrong and ILLEGAL.”

B.C. has remained under a provincial state of emergency since July 7 as one of the worst wildfire seasons in history ravages the province's Interior. According to the BC Wildfire Service, there have been 1,154 wildfires sparked since April 1, destroying more than 10,000 square kilometres of land.

Anyone who spots a wildfire starting or someone throwing cigarette butts is asked to report it to the BC Wildfire Service at 1-800-663-5555 or *5555 from a cell phone.