Afternoon Mystery in Vernon

Is Report of Raining Garbage on Rail Trail and Dust Column over Landfill Connected?

July 11 2026 - Around 2 pm today, a report of a tall grey column of smoke rising from the area of the Greater Vernon Landfill was received by 911 calltakers.

Before fire crews were dispatched the grey column was confirmed to be "just dust".

At roughly the same time, people walking the Okanagan Rail Trail (about 1 km east of the landfill) reported garbage raining from the sky, paper, plastic, and other light material.

Some of it continued blowing out over Kalamalka Lake, where paddleboarders and swimmers became good Samaritans, grabbing what they could as it landed on the water.

A local post in Vernon Rant and Rave captured the scene: “It was raining garbage… supposedly from the dump.”

Is there a connection? The timing of all the reports lines up very closely. 

A strong localized wind, gust, thermal updraft, or small dust devil (fairly common on hot Okanagan afternoons) could explain both the visible dust column near the landfill and the lightweight garbage being carried over the rail trail and onto the lake.

The landfill is only about 1 km away, which is easily within range for wind to move debris like this.No fire, no major incident, just a windy afternoon doing what it does.

Nice work by the paddleboarders and trail users who helped clean it up!

Afternoon Mystery in Vernon