Kelowna Realtor Faces Sentencing After Drone Conviction During Wildfire Crisis
A Kelowna real estate agent has been found guilty of interfering with critical wildfire suppression efforts during the devastating 2023 Okanagan Lake fires. Derek Leippi will learn his fate on February 24 when provincial court judge Cathie Heinrichs delivers sentencing that could include fines up to $100,000, jail time, or both.
Dangerous Interference During Emergency Operations
The incident occurred on August 27, 2023, during one of British Columbia's most severe wildfire seasons. Leippi had taken his boat onto Okanagan Lake to capture video footage of the Okanagan Lake Resort, which had been completely destroyed by the blaze that consumed more than 300 structures on the lake's west side.
Two Conservation Service Officers patrolling the area under the provincial government's firefighting authority noticed Leippi in a zone where helicopters were actively conducting water-bucket operations. The officers immediately asked him to leave the restricted area, which he did, but they failed to notice that he continued operating his drone at a low altitude.
Helicopter Pilot's Frustrated Response
Firefighting helicopter pilot Brett Mayden spotted the drone during his critical operations and became visibly irritated by the unauthorized aircraft. Court documents reveal that Mayden made two attempts to disable the drone by dropping buckets of water on it, though both efforts proved unsuccessful. The pilot's unusual actions alerted the Conservation Service Officers, who returned to find Leippi retrieving his drone onto his boat.
The officers subsequently seized Leippi's drone, controller, and cell phone as evidence. The area where the incident occurred was under strict evacuation orders affecting approximately 35,000 residents at the time.
Legal Consequences and Judicial Findings
Judge Heinrichs found Leippi guilty of "operating equipment, machinery, a vehicle or vessel, or acting in a manner that interfered with fire control by the government." Beyond the potential $100,000 fine and one-year jail sentence, those convicted under this charge can also be held responsible for all fire suppression and related costs, which can escalate into millions of dollars.
In her decision, Judge Heinrichs explicitly rejected Leippi's defense that he was unaware of active firefighting operations, stating: "I conclude that Mr. Leippi has not avoided his liability. I do not accept that he had a mistaken belief in the facts nor that he took all reasonable steps to avoid the harm."
The judge emphasized that even if Leippi was initially unaware of firefighting efforts, he should have immediately retrieved his drone when first contacted by officers rather than simply lowering its altitude and maintaining flight.
Broader Context of Wildfire Challenges
The 2023 wildfire season presented unprecedented challenges across British Columbia, with Ottawa estimating annual wildfire fighting costs at approximately $1 billion nationwide. According to the Canadian Climate Institute, climate impacts including more frequent and intense fires could potentially halve Canada's projected economic growth in coming years.
Experts note that Canadians are no longer dealing with isolated natural disasters every few years but rather facing multiple catastrophic events stacked within single years, including fires, floods, heatwaves, and powerful storms.
Despite pleading not guilty in court, Leippi acknowledged poor judgment in comments to local media after being charged, stating: "It was a stupid thing to do, you know, to even try to launch a drone. ... It was a mistake for sure, absolutely a mistake."
The February 24 sentencing will determine the consequences of that mistake as British Columbia continues to grapple with the increasing frequency and severity of wildfire seasons exacerbated by climate change.
