"It (the fine) resulted from the investigation of an incident that occurred on July 16 at Virginia Falls," Lafferty said. "Garbage was abandoned in hopes a plane would pick it up."

A charge of unlawfully disposing of garbage in a national park had been laid in December.

"People are being put at serious risk when this sort of incident happens," Lafferty said. "This is especially true in light of what happened in Liard Hot Springs last summer."

At that time, a Fort Nelson man and a Texas tourist were killed after a bear attack.

Lafferty says there is a lesson for all of us in the man's fine.

"Be responsible with your garbage when you go to the back country," he said. "There's enough risk out there without this."