Officials confirmed Tuesday that a fast-moving wildfire in western Canada last week destroyed or damaged approximately 150 structures, marking the first detailed accounting of the blaze that forced more than 20,000 people to evacuate. Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene stated that a week after the wildfire erupted, about 2,200 people remain under evacuation orders and displaced from their homes, with roughly 25,000 others across British Columbia still on alert.
Conditions have improved, allowing most residents of the hard-hit community of Summerland to begin returning home. On Tuesday, evacuation orders for about 3,380 homes were downgraded to alerts, meaning residents could remain in their homes. This followed the lifting of approximately 1,200 orders by late Monday. Crews are currently working to clear dangerous trees and debris and restore power to the 530 properties that remain under evacuation orders.
Summerland, a community of about 12,000 residents in British Columbia’s Okanagan region, had about 40 of its properties affected. The nearby community of Faulder, home to about 200 people, was among the most severely impacted, with many residences reduced to ash.
Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes described the situation as a "long road to recovery" but expressed confidence in the community's resilience. The Bald Range wildfire ignited on August 7 and advanced rapidly toward Summerland and surrounding communities, prompting some firefighting crews to shift their focus to assisting with evacuations. The provincial state of emergency was declared the following day, and an 80-year-old woman died as a result of the incident.
British Columbia Premier David Eby has suggested that the speed of this wildfire may signal a "new normal" for the province and has called for a review of wildfire preparedness strategies. Prolonged drought and exceptionally dry conditions contributed to the fire's rapid spread.
Graham Statt, chief administrative officer for the District of Summerland, cautioned that the number of damaged structures could increase as assessment teams reach more properties. Authorities are in the process of contacting residents whose homes were affected before releasing further public details. Some residents will be offered counseling services.
Denise Trudeau, a Faulder resident for 36 years, recounted fleeing with her husband, horses, important documents, and essential clothing as the fire approached, describing the event as "like a tornado coming."
This latest destruction follows the Bradley Creek wildfire, which destroyed approximately 230 homes farther north near Okanagan Lake on August 1. Canada has experienced increasingly severe wildfire seasons in recent years, leading to widespread evacuations and significant smoke pollution across the country and into the United States.