Nova Scotia has prohibited the public from entering most wooded areas, including hiking trails, campsites and off-road vehicle routes, as a prolonged drought pushes wildfire risk to extreme levels. The order, which took effect this week, carries penalties of up to C$25,000; administrative surcharges pushed one recent ticket to C$28,872. The province has also banned open fires and requires commercial operators such as forestry and mining firms to obtain permits before working in the woods. Premier Tim Houston said the measures are intended to prevent a repeat of the 2023 fire season, when blazes levelled more than 300 homes and other structures. Provincial data show 97% of Nova Scotia wildfires are started by human activity, and Environment Canada forecasts little rain in the coming days. Similar burn bans are in force across Atlantic Canada, with Newfoundland and Labrador raising its maximum penalty to C$150,000 and New Brunswick limiting industrial activity until at least 12 Aug. Enforcement has already begun. Provincial officers and the RCMP say they have issued 10 tickets this year, including one on 8 Aug. to Canadian Forces veteran Jeff Evely after he deliberately entered a restricted woodland near Sydney. Civil-liberties advocates, among them the Canadian Constitution Foundation, argue the blanket ban is disproportionate and have asked the province to adopt more targeted rules. Supporters of the restrictions counter that temporary curbs on access are the only practical option while vegetation remains tinder-dry. Officials have not set an end date for the order but noted that the statutory wildfire season runs until 15 Oct. The government is urging residents to report violations and any signs of fire, and says the ban will be lifted once sustained rainfall lowers the danger index.