Derek Leippi appears in this 2018 photo.

Image Credit: FACEBOOK: Derek Leippi

A Kelowna realtor has been charged for flying a drone in an active fire zone during the McDougall Creek Wildfire in 2023.

No details were given when Derek Leippi appeared in a Kelowna courtroom Jan. 21 but the incident dates back to Aug. 27, 2023, when wildfires raged around West Kelowna.

At the time, the BC Conservation Officer Service said they'd seized a drone while patrolling on Okanagan Lake.

"Conservation Officers spotted a drone interfering with a helicopter actively bucketing from the lake," the BC Conservation Service said on social media in an August 2023 post. "The drone operator was identified by Conservation Officers, and the drone was seized. Charges are pending against one individual."

It's not known why it took more than a year for a charge to be laid, but Leippi now faces the rarely used charge of operating equipment, machinery, a vehicle or a vessel, or act in a manner that interferes with fire control that is being carried out.

Fines for the offence can reach $100,000 and can result in a jail sentence of up to one year.

There were nearly 200 homes destroyed by the McDougall Creek Wildfire and thousands of people were put on evacuation alert.

The McDougal Creek Wildfire.

(MARSHALL JONES / iNFOnews.ca)

Every wildfire season the authorities remind the public that using drones in wildfire areas is illegal and can greatly hamper crews' ability to deal with the fire.

However, it's rare for individuals to be caught and charged with the offence.

According to the BC Financial Services Authority, Leippi is a licenced realtor and works for 2 Percent Realty Interior Inc.

Leippi's Facebook page does show a considerable amount of drone photography used in his real estate ads.

When reached by phone, the 36-year-old refused to comment.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

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