Nearly three months after the first of a series of destructive wildfires tore through British Columbia's Okanagan region in Canada, the last evacuation orders have been lifted and communities are turning to recovery. The British Columbia Okanagan wildfires destroyed hundreds of homes, forced about 20,000 people from Summerland and Peachland alone, and prompted a provincial state of emergency.
Bradley Creek fire
The Bradley Creek wildfire erupted late on Friday, July 31. Driven by wind gusts of up to 115 km/h, it devastated much of the Okanagan Indian Band's reserve community near Vernon, destroying about 230 homes, officials said on August 5. At that point about 8,000 people were under evacuation across the province and about 120 wildfires were burning.
Bald Range fire
On the evening of August 7, the Bald Range fire ignited and overran the small community of Faulder, then raced toward Summerland. All of Summerland, about 12,000 people, was ordered to evacuate, along with about 8,000 people in and around Peachland, and aircraft rescued more than 50 people who could not escape by road. Premier David Eby declared a provincial state of emergency on August 8. An 80-year-old woman in Meadow Valley died while fleeing. The Bald Range fire, eventually held at about 252 square kilometers, damaged or destroyed about 150 structures, and the Pear Lake fire near Clinton hit about 120 properties.
Recovery
Summerland rescinded its last evacuation orders on October 1, leaving about 30 properties under a prohibit-entry order while post-wildfire hazard assessments continue, and Canada's national wildfire season was declared over on October 15. No organizations in our directory are currently listed as responding to the Okanagan fires; browse our list of disaster relief organizations to find groups that support wildfire recovery.
For updates and ways to help families rebuilding in the Okanagan, visit the British Columbia Okanagan wildfires disaster page.
