Okanagan Lake Drone Pilot Fined CAD $5,000 Following Helicopter Chase During Firefighting Efforts
Kelowna Realtor Fined for Drone Incident During Wildfire
A British Columbia court has imposed a CAD $5,000 fine on Kelowna realtor Derek Leippi for operating a DJI drone from a boat on Okanagan Lake during the 2023 McDougall Creek wildfire. This incident diverted a helicopter pilot from fire suppression efforts to pursue the unmanned aircraft. The sentencing was reported this week by PetaPixel, referencing coverage from the Vancouver Sun and CBC.
The ruling was delivered on March 23, 2026, a month later than the initially scheduled date of February 24. Leippi was found guilty on February 9 of violating British Columbia’s Wildfire Act, which carries a maximum penalty of CAD $100,000, one year in jail, or both, in addition to liability for firefighting costs. The Crown sought a CAD $15,000 fine and a public apology, while Leippi, who represented himself, requested no fine.
The August 2023 Incident on Okanagan Lake
The drone flight occurred on August 27, 2023, shortly after the McDougall Creek wildfire devastated the west side of Okanagan Lake, destroying over 300 structures, including the Okanagan Lake Resort, and prompting the evacuation of approximately 35,000 residents. Leippi launched a small DJI drone from a boat to capture video footage of the damaged resort.
Two officers from the BC Conservation Service, patrolling the shoreline, discovered Leippi in a zone where helicopters were loading water. Although he complied with their request to leave, he continued to operate the drone at low altitude, which went unnoticed by the officers initially. The helicopter pilot, working close to Leippi’s boat, spotted the drone and interrupted firefighting efforts to attempt two water drops on it, both of which missed. The pilot’s decision to engage the drone resulted in the loss of two loads of water that could have been used to combat the fire. Officers returned upon observing the helicopter’s unusual flight pattern, witnessed Leippi land the drone, and subsequently seized it along with the controller and his phone.
Judge Dismisses “I Didn’t Know” Defense
In court, Leippi claimed he was unaware of ongoing fire suppression activities and did not see any smoke or flames near the resort when he launched the drone. The judge rejected this defense, stating that the scale of the fire, the mass evacuations, and the extensive property damage were widely known at the time. She noted that a reasonable person would have recognized that neither the boat nor the drone should have been in that airspace.
During sentencing, Leippi argued that media coverage had already harmed his real estate career and that an additional CAD $15,000 fine would exacerbate his situation. The judge ultimately decided on a CAD $5,000 fine, considering mitigating factors such as Leippi’s cooperation with officers and the fact that this was his first offense. She acknowledged his remorse expressed in court and dismissed the Crown’s request for a formal apology. BC Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar emphasized the seriousness of the situation, urging individuals not to operate drones that could endanger firefighters.
Challenges in Enforcing Drone Regulations
Courts in various jurisdictions have faced difficulties in determining appropriate penalties for drone interference with wildfire response efforts. In September 2025, Peter Tripp Akemann received a sentence of 14 days in federal prison and 30 days of home detention, along with approximately USD $156,000 in restitution after his drone collided with a Quebec government Super Scooper, grounding the aircraft. In contrast, Leippi’s drone did not physically contact the helicopter, highlighting the variance in penalties across different cases.
The BC Wildfire Service has maintained a “zero tolerance” policy regarding drone incursions for several years. The National Interagency Fire Center reported 21 public drone incursions during a single wildfire season in the U.S., with incidents increasing in 2025.
Conclusion
The ongoing issue of drone interference with firefighting efforts raises concerns about the adequacy of current penalties. Leippi’s CAD $5,000 fine is significantly lower than the CAD $15,000 sought by the Crown and is a fraction of the CAD $100,000 maximum allowed under the Wildfire Act. The lack of cost recovery for firefighting operations further complicates the enforcement of regulations. Future cases may see Crown counsel pursuing cost recovery in addition to fines to better address the financial impact of such incidents.
The featured image is for illustrative purposes only; while it is confirmed that a DJI drone was involved in this incident, the specific model remains unspecified.