Our mountain bears are still out and about, so...

Remember to properly secure ALL attractants - garbage, recyclables, BBQs and smokers, pet/livestock food and bird feeders.

Our bears are actively looking for high calorie food in preparation for winter and attractants, especially garbage, are an enticing and easy target. Leaving attractants accessible leads to bears and other wildlife becoming habituated to this food source, putting your family, your property and the bears at risk. A habituated bear is a dead bear.

With the cooler weather and darker mornings, it may be tempting to put your garbage out the evening prior to collection. The RDOS Solid Waste Collection Regulation Bylaw No. 2819 requires that residents not place any solid waste out before 5 am the morning of pick-up. This requirement applies year-round.

If you store your empty garbage and recyclable cans outdoors, spraying the cans with a bleach/water or lysol/water solution after pick-up each week will keep odors - and bears - away from your empty cans.

Thank you for doing your part to keep our community and wildlife safe!!

2025 AMFRS Annual General Meeting Highlights

The AMFRS's Annual General Meeting was held October 15, 2025 at the Anarchist Mountain Fire Department (AMFD) firehall.

At the meeting, the new AMFRS Board of Directors for 2026 was elected.

• Alex Giovannelli: President

• Selena Cole: Vice President

• Reg Forster: Treasurer

• Wendy Richmond: Secretary

Alex brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Board about life on the mountain, the AMFRS and the AMFD. Thank you, Alex, for volunteering for this important role.

During the first ten months of 2025, the AMFRS accomplished some amazing milestones in support of our mountain community. Highlights include:

• Raising $16,500 through our annual online auction and first 50/50 draw thanks to the generosity of local donor businesses and folks who participated in both fundraising events.

• Meeting our goal to purchase a second wildfire protection trailer which will be used to store firefighting equipment like hose, water bladders, water pumps, sprinklers, etc. so these tools are ready to mobilize where needed in the event of a wildfire in our community or adjacent communities that request assistance from the AMFD.

• Purchasing 'jaws of life' spreaders for use by AMFRS technical rescue volunteers in accessing motor vehicle accident victims when seconds count.

• Continuing to make a difference as a community to minimize the risk of negative human-wildlife interactions by properly securing attractants like garbage, BBQs and smokers, pet and livestock food and bird feeders.

A huge shout-out and thank you goes to all our generous community volunteers who have contributed just under 3,800 hours so far in 2025!! Without you, none of this would have been possible.

If you’re interested in becoming an AMFRS volunteer and supporting the work we do to keep our community safe, please get in touch (https://www.amfrs.ca/contact).

Selena Cole

Vice President and Wildlife Safety Program Lead AMFRS

What to do if you hit a large animal while driving

Source:

Wildlife-vehicle collisions are a significant problem in the South Okanagan and Southern Interior of British Columbia, with thousands of incidents annually, though the true number is higher due to underreporting. These accidents result in vehicle damage, human injury and death, and significant harm to wildlife populations. Efforts to mitigate collisions include public education, increased driver awareness, especially during dusk and dawn, and public reporting of wildlife carcasses and injuries.

If you hit a large animal (deer, moose, elk, coyote, bear) while driving, or see someone else do so, please immediately pull over to a safe location, turn on your hazard lights, and assess your safety and the vehicle's condition. Never approach an injured animal as this could endanger yourself, other drivers and make the injuries to the animal even worse.

Immediately contact the BC Conservation Officer Service (RAPP) at 1-877-952-7277 if the animal is injured but alive. If the animal is dead, please contact the RCMP or local police to have it safely removed.