A major wildfire in British Columbia’s Okanagan has been held, although the nearby blaze outside Summerland continues to burn out of control. Central Okanagan Emergency Management says the Quilpituk Creek fire that triggered evacuations earlier this month between Vernon and Kelowna is expected to remain within its current boundary. The emergency operations centre says it’s assessing tree danger and hydro lines to determine when residents can return home. The Bald Range wildfire, further south but also the western shores of Okanaga Lake, has seen about 10,000 properties evacuated, and with more than 3,000 others on evacuation alert. Eight properties in an inland area west of the lake were added to the alert area on Wednesday. The blaze roared west last Friday, and the chief of the Penticton Indian Band such events aren’t natural occurrences. Chief Greg Gabriel, whose members are among the evacuees, says that more needs to be done to fix the problem, which could mean looking at logging practices and addressing drought conditions. Gabriel has asked the province to address the need for an alternative emergency route out of communities during a crisis, as Highway 97 has been cut off by the wildfire. B.C. Premier David Eby says there is a significant demand for secondary egress roads and that the Transportation Ministry will work on which routes to prioritize. Roughly 20,000 people were forced from their homes last Friday in Summerland and the surrounding communities as the Bald Range fire spread in a matter of hours. It’s not known when people will be allowed to return as the fire remains out of control and a lightning storm with erratic winds is expected. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2026
