Our Mountain Coyotes

While our resident bears are busy seeking out a warm, safe place to hunker down for the winter, we still need to be diligent about properly securing attractants like garbage, dirty recyclables, BBQs, bird seed and pet/livestock feed. These items attract rodents, a preferred food source for coyotes.

Improperly securing attractants can inadvertently bring coyotes close to your home, family and pets.

We're getting to the tail end of dispersal season, when coyotes born earlier this year may leave their parents to search out their own territories. During this time, its common to see an increase in coyote sightings and encounters. These young coyotes are learning how to safely navigate life around humans, a process that involves some trial and error, and testing of boundaries. More often than not, when a coyote comes close or seems to be following you, it is nothing more than curiosity or a behavior called 'escorting'. Escorting is when a coyote follows a person or a dog to guide them away from their territory. While this behavior is most commonly observed during denning season in the spring/early summer, it can also occur during the fall and winter months.

To help coyotes learn to safely keep their distance, keep attractants secured and keep your pets supervised when they're outside and on leash and under control when out walking or hiking.

If you encounter a coyote while out and about, follow these safety tips:

• Stay calm. Do not panic as the coyote is likely more afraid of you or is just curious.

• Immediately leash your dog and keep it close to you.

• Keep walking at a steady pace. The coyote will likely stop following you once you have left its territory and no longer views you or your dog as a threat.

• Do not run. Never turn your back and run as this can trigger a chase response.

• If a coyote approaches too closely, wave your arms, clap your hands and shout to make yourself look larger and more intimidating.

If you encounter a coyote that is acting aggressively, please contact the BC Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277.

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