A luxury canvas-tent campsite set up at the original Get Lost Glamping campsite in Armstrong that is no longer operational (photo provided by Derek Deans / Get Lost Glamping Adventures website)

By Liam Verster

Items for Firefighters

Local entrepreneur offering camping equipment to wildfire crews

May 19, 2023 | 5:00 AM

A local businessman is offering up some high-end camping supplies for people going out to fight wildfires.

Derek Deans owns Get Lost Glamping Adventures, a luxury campsite that lost its permit in Armstrong, and is currently non-operational as he is working to solidify a new place to set up the sites.

As a result, Deans has a lot of equipment and supplies that are not being used, so he is offering it up to people going to fight the fires across Western Canada.

“I’ve got all this camping gear that is just sitting around and I saw somebody was looking for some camping gear on Facebook and I though ‘Oh, I wonder if anybody might like to borrow mine,'” Deans told Vernon Matters.

“We’ve got canvas-walled tents, we’ve got stoves, weve got sleeping bags, cots. I’ve got a mobile washroom and hot shower, we’ve got propane fire pits, pots and pans. We’ve got everything basically.”

Council grants

Vernon to distribute over $50k in Council Discretionary Grants, $20K to the food bank

Dec 14, 2025

Possible firearm involved

One person apprehended in connection with suspicious activity in Coldstream

Dec 13, 2025

Fatal Collision, Highway Closed

One person dead in crash near Revelstoke

Dec 13, 2025

Deans estimated he has enough items to equip about 30 people, though noted it is all stored away and will need the people to whom he is loaning the items, to pick them up from him.

Deans told Vernon Matters he wants to give back and help out, but also doesn’t plan for it to be a big operation.

“I just thought if there was a private forest fire mitigation type of business, like Rider Ventures, like if those guys or a detachment were being sent away and didn’t have anything, then they could borrow some stuff from me,” Deans explained, also noting that he would provide the items for local firefighters heading north to help as crews from the Shuswap did earlier in the month.

“If there is a local fire crew and a chief or someone came to me and asked to borrow this or loan this then we’ll make a list of inventory and, provided it’s somewhat guaranteed to come back in one piece, then go for it.”

He noted Fire Services do provide the firefighters with equipment, but added “it might get to a point where resources are thin and people need more stuff and I’ll be here if they do.”

Deans said he would loan the items out for free, but added there would need to be some sort of agreement for damages beyond just wear-and-tear as the items are inventory for his business.

Crews heading off to fight wildfires looking to take advantage of having some more luxury items for their camps can contact Deans through the Get Lost Glamping Adventures website.