Man gets $575 ticket after throwing cigarette out the window because he 'didn't want his car to burn'

SAANICH, British Columbia -- A police chief in Canada is reminding smokers around the world why it's important not to throw cigarette butts out a car window.

"575 reasons to not throw your lit cigarette out the car window in front of @vicpdcanada," a Twitter post by Victoria Police Chief Del Manak read.

Manak said he saw the driver discard the cigarette and then pulled him over.

When he asked the driver why, he pointed to his cup holder and responded, "I didn't want my car to burn."

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To which Manak responded "Then don't smoke in your car," before writing the man a ticket for $575 (about $433 in American dollars).

The citation was issued under the province's Wildfire Act.

Manak received an outpouring of support on the tweet, including near 1,000 likes.