The Ghost Valley, a pristine part of Alberta known for its mountainous vistas, is being threatened by litterbugs and vandals. And people who live in the area are worried the problem is getting worse.
Recently in the region, west of Calgary, there were three separate fires triggered by irresponsible users.
And it would seem some are just out to trash it.
“There’s garbage from hell to breakfast up there… It’s just crazy,” Eric Butters, a volunteer firefighter at the Ghost Valley Station, said.
The charred remains of abandoned trailers litter the landscape – torched it would seem purely for pleasure, in part because nobody’s there to tell them not to.
“About 20 to 25 years ago, 28 forestry staff and fish and wildlife officers were laid off,” Sharon MacDonald, a Ghost Valley resident, said.
“And in the intervening 20+ years we’ve seen a culture of lawlessness slowly come to pervade the ghost valley. We are at a tipping point where we need to see enforcement on the ground,” she added.
Beyond the vandalism there’s a growing danger to the Ghost Valley.
“This year we are seeing a new wrinkle – exploding targets that are set up and you shoot with a high powered rifle and they explode,” Butters said.
“They set off sparks, and the shooter just leaves.
“Safety is the bottom line concern.. we have a lot of shootings in the area which you can hear,” Macdonald said.
To make matters worse, the fire hazard is rated extreme, but the province hasn’t issued a ban, even though their own wildlife crews are busy responding to other areas.
“They’re reluctant to do anything, and they have few staff and little oversight, and the land belongs to the province and they’re shirking their responsibility,” Butters said.
Hikers have also reported discovering undetonated grenades discarded in the area.
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