To stop them, Fryer put a motion‑activated Halloween zombie on top of the bins. When a bear comes close, the zombie screams and moves, and Fryer says the bear was so scared it peed itself. The zombie has kept the bears away.

Officials say the bears are moving to lower‑elevation neighborhoods because drought and wildfires have destroyed the berries and other food they normally find higher up. With less natural food, they look for easy meals in garbage.

The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) reports more bears at lower elevations. Between January and July, officers answered 13,672 calls about black bears. In the same period, at least 33 black bears were killed.

The situation shows how climate‑related problems, like drought and fire, can push wildlife into towns. It also reminds residents to secure trash and consider simple deterrents, like Fryer’s zombie, to keep bears away.