The residents of a town in the East Kootenay region have expressed anger over the mess left behind from bush parties.
High school students have been holding parties on Crown land near Wasa and resident Linda Lee says they are setting large campfires that could endanger the area.
“They’re putting us all at risk by having these big fires here,” she said, adding that there’s no fire protection in the area.
“If they set fire to this forest, it will come right down that hill to all our properties.”
Following the parties, empty beer cans were strewn around the property along with nails left from large wooden palettes that were burned in the campfire.
Resident Paul Brandon is tired of having to clean up after the bush parties.
“I really feel enraged that these kids have gone up there and just made a mess and expect us to go in there and clean it up for them,” he said. “It’s really a sad thing.
“Last weekend was the fourth weekend in a row that they’ve been up there making messes.”
Kimberley RCMP are investigating at least two assaults related to bush parties.
Sgt. Chris Newel said they are working with schools in the area to let students know that such parties, although often considered a rite of passage, are not acceptable.
“Bush parties have been going on now for decades. Everybody’s gone to them, particularly in the smaller communities and the rural areas,” he said.
Lee said more needs to be done to enforce laws against damaging Crown land.
“We need to enforce the laws we have in place and we need to fund the people who can do the enforcing,” she said.
“We wouldn’t have these messes and these big fires and big parties out here. Nobody would think it was even reasonable to disrespect this land like that. It just wouldn’t happen if we had some teeth in the law.”
Correction: A previous version of this story contained incorrect information. The story has been updated to clarify that the parties took place on Crown land.