(Abandoned fifth wheel / Image credit Kane Blake)

By Liam Verster

OKANAGAN FOREST TASK FORCE

A busy summer for dumping in the backcountry

Sep 16, 2023 | 8:00 AM

The Okanagan Forest Task Force (OFTF) has had a busy summer trying to track down people dumping old travel trailers, boats and other vehicles.

The latest incident was a fifth-wheel trailer discovered on Postil Lake Road above the Kelowna airport.

OFTF had images of a person towing the trailer on the road and then unhooking it a 8 p.m. on Sept. 11th. Documents found in the unit were from a man who passed away two years ago. The group has set up trail cameras at strategic locations to catch illegal dumpers in the act.

“Well, I have great news. We have tracked down the person who dumped this trailer. All information has been sent to the proper authorities. A friend made a comment this afternoon about a video made 2 years ago and a comment I made in it and I still stand by my comment: I will do everything in my powers to catch anyone who wants to treat our backcountry as their personal landfill,” OFTF member Kane Blake stated in a social media post.

The group has found abandoned motorhomes, boats, trailers and vehicles in numerous backcountry locations around the Okanagan this summer.

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Under B.C.’s Environmental Management Act, people convicted of illegally dumping waste can face fines of up to $1 million as well as jail time.

The group was formed in August 2016 by a group of outdoor enthusiasts who were concerned over the growing epidemic of illegal dumping in our forests, recreational areas and along natural waterways. For more information on the group to report illegal dumping click here.