AI-generated graphic by Gemini for illustrative purposes.
By Jon Johnson
GRAHAM COUNTY – Tossing a lit cigarette out of a moving vehicle is not only against the law, but it could also potentially start a fire. That was demonstrably shown to one pair of travelers, who inadvertently started the contents of their truck bed on fire after throwing a cigarette butt out the window.
The Graham County Sheriff’s Office and Safford Fire Department were dispatched at about noon on Saturday, March 9, to the area of U.S. Highway 191 and Cactus Road regarding a fire.
Upon arrival, first responders were informed by the driver that she was driving her white, Chevy Silverado pickup truck when her passenger threw a lit cigarette out of the window and it landed in the bed of the truck. The cigarette then caught some bags of clothes and trash on fire.
The driver said she pulled the truck over to the side and kicked the burning items onto the ground. The small fire was doused by the Safford Fire Department, according to the GCSO report.
In Arizona, it is illegal to litter a cigarette butt by tossing it out onto the road and roadside littering fines go up to $500.
If a discarded cigarette doesn’t start a fire, it will likely be around for a while. According to a study by Longwood University, various cigarette filters take 18 months to 10 years to degrade.
