Summerland firefighter loses home, stays on front lines as Bald Range fire grows

The Bald Range wildfire grew to an estimated 15,590 hectares Monday morning, according to BC Wildfire Service, while evacuation orders issued by local authorities kept thousands of South Okanagan residents away from their homes.

The entire District of Summerland was under evacuation order Sunday evening, covering 5,688 properties. Elsewhere in the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, 451 properties were under order and 1,065 were under evacuation alert as of the RDOS’s 5:45 p.m. Sunday update.

As residents waited for information on when they might be able to return home, the mayors of Summerland and Penticton pointed to the work of firefighters, municipal staff and others responding to the emergency.

Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes said one local firefighter lost his own home as the blaze swept through but stayed on the front lines.

“I heard that one of our Summerland firefighters lost his own home and he’s still there fighting the fires, protecting the community and that’s what community is all about,” Holmes said.

“That’s a real hero, right? I mean, they’re all heroes, but just to say, OK, you know what, I got to keep going and helping out and doing what I can,” Holmes said.

Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield said many evacuees from Summerland have been staying in the city, which is “running at nearly peak capacity,” with staff going above and beyond to help those displaced by the fire.

Bloomfield said the focus is on keeping morale high for people forced from their homes and thanked fire crews on the ground and in the air for their work.

“Not that many of them have had very much rest, but as long as they’re still functioning to the best of their ability, that’s the important thing. That’s just by having those conversations, one-on-one conversations with various people around the evacuation center, and then checking in with the staff,” Bloomfield said.

“I can see a bit of blue sky. [and] I can hear a lot of helicopters flying, buzzing around as well, you know, things are moving along as well as can be expected, given the circumstances.”