Anarchist Mountain Community Society

We would like to thank Ron Palmer and Osoyoos Mountain Estates for working with us to find a location to collect yard refuse.

The site is to be used for the disposal of materials to aid in FireSmarting your property.  Examples of materials accepted are:

• Grass, leaves, needles etc.
• Brush, branches etc.

Please Note:

• Items being brought in bags, boxes, etc. are to be emptied and the containers taken away.
• NO construction debris is to be brought in.
• Any abuse of the site will result in its immediate closure.

A member of AMCS/FireSmart committee will open and close the site and also monitor the origin and material coming into the site.

The hours of operation are 10:00am to 12:00pm. The site is located on Wapiti.  Turn onto Wapiti and take the first road to the right.

Found yesterday on the Highway at 9 Mile and Raven Hill. If you have any information on this dogs home, please contact Curt at 250-408-5224

The Forest Entomologist with the Thompson Okanagan Region, Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (MFLNRO) states we are experiencing the start of a Douglas-fir tussock moth outbreak throughout the region. She checked out our area a week ago and found evidence of the natural virus in the population.

If private land owners want to treat next spring, B.t.k. is a biological insecticide that is often used. She will send us a more detailed response and additional information when she is back in her office at the end of the week (middle of August 2019).

Once we receive the information from the Entomologist, we will post it to the website and let everyone know what is occurring and what options there are to deal with this issue.

The infestation of the Douglas Fir Tussock Moth is causing devastation from caterpillars around Caribou and the Eagle Point area. People are afraid that by next year the whole area’s fir trees will be dead from the caterpillars eating all the needles and the trees won’t survive. The trees around the summit centre and on Sasquatch are also infected. The caterpillars/moths are likely working their way down the mountain.

All these dead fir trees will also add to our wildfire risk.

In the past, AMCS received written (email) consent and collected $ from each property owner (about 15 – 18 property owners) who wanted their properties sprayed and received about $$20 – $30K from Regal Ridge (the land developer at the time).

AMCS hired an aerial spray company from Abbottsford to come and spray a biological virus using a helicopter (the same natural virus that kills tussock moth). About a week before the spraying was to commence the BC Ministry of Environment stepped in and said a “pesticide permit” was needed. Mark McKenney argued that the agent to be sprayed (B.t.k.) was a natural product and was not listed on either federal or provincial registries as a pesticide under the legislation, so it wasn’t a pesticide at all.

The Okanagan pesticides inspector intimidated the aerial spraying company…and they decided they would only spray over Regal Ridge land, which they agreed was not residential. The spray company did spray about 500 – 600 acres of Regal Ridge forest…and the kill results were amazing. Literally millions and millions of dead tussock moth larvae were on the forest floor. In some places the larvae were nearly a foot deep on the ground. It really wiped the moths out where we sprayed. So this works.

The MFLNRO are tracking this pest and have a 4-year plan, ending in 2021, to deal with the impact to timber resources.

This document (link below to a 57 page pdf) deals with other pests as well and their history in our area. The moth is on a 10-year cycle and can live for up to 4 years before they die off from predation or starvation.

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/forestry/forest-health/southern-interior-program/pmp_forest_health_southern_interior_sep_6_2017.pdf

We will inform the Anarchist Mountain community via the website and hold a general meeting that involves all affected parties (including OMEI) to see what everyone’s thoughts on this issue are to help us decide what to do for next spring.

We will have an expert conduct a talk with our community that would help increase awareness and provide steps private land owners can take to address the problem on their own properties.

We are also thinking of posting a survey online to see what the response is.

After consulting with family and friends of Jamie, the dedication of the park will not occur until the spring or summer of 2020. To inform everyone of what has transpired over the past few months and to provide an account of what is happening with the donations, below is a brief outline of the steps that have been taken so far in the creation of the Jamie Soule Memorial Park.

Between consulting with parties close to Jamie, research, travel, planning and actual labour, an estimate of the time spent so far on this project is more than 150 hours.

At the site: The holes have been prepped for the structure that will support the sign. The components of the structure (heavy timbers) are 80% complete. We are waiting for a preservative for the posts that should be here this week. We expect that by the end of next week the structure will be erected, secured, and stained. At that point it will only need a roofing material and some landscaping around the base.

The sign itself: The cedar (3x8s) have been purchased, prepped, and assembled to create a 2 ¾” thick blank that is 35” x 60” in size using about 60 biscuit joints, outdoor glue, and three through-bolted pieces of ready rod. The sign is sanded (up to 600 grit) and ready for the application of “the resist”.

The design: We have accumulated what we think should be all the design elements that will be incorporated in the sign. This included consultations with, and revisions from Jamie’s family and friends. We feel that Jamie’s wife should have the final say regarding the images, text and their layout. Once the layout is decided, the process should move along quickly. It will involve transferring the image silhouettes to the resist and applying the resist to the blank. Then comes the sandblasting, finishing and insertion into the structure.

There is also some work being done to create a new driveway for entrance into the park.

At this point, approximately $650.00 has been spent on supplies. The rest of the money donated, will remain in an interest bearing account until it is required.

If anyone has any further questions regarding the Memorial Park, you can email me at webmaster@amcsbc.ca and I will forward them to the appropriate party.

Hi Anarchist Mountain neighbours, 

I wanted to thank you all for supporting Market on the Mountain again this year.  It was a wonderful day with fabulous vendors, great crowds, yummy hotdogs and lovely weather!  After expenses we raised $962.22 for the AMFD through table revenue, hotdog sales and donations. 

Of course this goal couldn’t have been achieved without the help of a team of dedicated volunteers.  A great big thank you goes out to Brenda Arychuk for all her work on the media campaign.  Huge thanks to Elizabeth Dahabieh for organizing and running the concession.  As usual many thanks to Walter Zinowki and Don Hayward for all their hard work – weed eating the Centre grounds, hauling and setting up tables and the bbq, assisting vendors with set up when needed, helping with the concession and general clean up afterwards.  Walter also puts up and takes down the highway signs which can be a bit hazardous at times! 

I also wanted to thank Sandra Newfield and Jackie Dings for taking a shift at the barbecue and Joseph Dahabieh for helping with concession set up and clean up.  Thanks to Fire Chief Urs Grob for his support of the Market.  A big thank you also goes to Jo Chernoff from SUNFM for providing the music, to SUNFM for providing the Cruiser and advertising the Market.  I also wanted to thank my friends Cathy and Mark Sinclair for help with clean up.  Thanks as well to OMEI for their continued support of the Market. 

Hope to see you all next year! 

Sincerely, Alice Zinowki

We would like to thank Ron Palmer and Osoyoos Mountain Estates for working with us to find a location to collect yard refuse.

The site is to be used for the disposal of materials to aid in FireSmarting your property.  Examples of materials accepted are:

• Grass, leaves, needles etc.
• Brush, branches etc.

Please Note:

• Items being brought in bags, boxes, etc. are to be emptied and the containers taken away.
• NO construction debris is to be brought in.
• Any abuse of the site will result in its immediate closure.

A member of AMCS/FireSmart committee will open and close the site and also monitor the origin and material coming into the site.

The hours of operation are 10:00am to 12:00pm. The site is located on Wapiti.  Turn onto Wapiti and take the first road to the right.

Just a friendly reminder

The Annual Summer AMFD/AMCS BBQ and Silent Auction for the Anarchist Mountain Fire Department was held on Saturday, July 6^th, 2019 at our Summit Centre.

This event is held at this time of year to remind everyone of the 2003 wild fire which resulted in the creation of the Anarchist Mountain Fire Department. The wild fire proved the importance of Community to all the residents of the mountain and, as we have seen so far this year, it continues to be proven.  

The committees, all made up of dedicated volunteers, work out the logistics for an entertaining evening of BBQ beef, wonderful food supplied “potluck style” by residents of the mountain and a Silent Auction. Many hands are involved in the organizing of this event and thanks to all the volunteer organizers and committees; we shared a great community spirit-filled evening. Thank you for all your hard work.

This year’s Silent Auction was a great success due to the generosity of the Osoyoos, Oliver, Sidley, Rock Creek and Penticton business communities.  The attendees were enticed by the various items and the willing bidders raised $5,146.00 for the Fire Department! We are extremely grateful for allcontributions and continued support for our community. 

SILENT AUCTION – Total $5,146.00 (proceeds go to AMFD)

BBQ – Total $1093.77 (proceeds go to AMCS)

Thank you to all residents and residents’ families and friends who attended and shared the evening with us.  You have made this year’s BBQ/Silent Auction a successful fundraiser for our Anarchist Mountain Fire Department! 

Yours truly,

Jamie V. Wright

President, AMCS

We would like to notify everyone that the AMCS Summit Centre Cleaning Position has been filled.  We would like to thank everyone who applied for this position.