One year later: Hazards, progress, frustration in wake of West Kelowna wildfire

When the McDougall Creek fire sparked on Aug. 15, 2023, no one could’ve imagined it would mushroom in size, consuming homes, infrastructure and livelihoods in the West Kelowna area with damage that will take years to address.

Of around 200 damaged homes in West Kelowna, Lake Country, the Westbank First Nation, and other nearby communities, dozens are under construction, dozens more have cleared the debris, and others look much the same as they did at the end of the fire season, when the fire was declared held at 139-square kilometres in size. 

West Kelowna's mayor points out supply chain issues, a shortage of skilled labour, and insurance issues are all playing roles in slowing down replacement of the lost homes, while his big concern is an ongoing safety issue.

“Within our road right-of-ways there's a lot of trees that have been damaged and we need help to have those trees removed,” said Gord Milsom. “There's a lot of (hazard trees), and it's quite costly.”

Recently, Milsom reached out to the mayor of Jasper to offer his support to that fire-ravaged community, and he has spent some of the last year encouraging other municipal leaders to offer clear, frequent communication in emergencies with so many people anxious about what’s happening.

“It's a still difficult time for those families (who’ve lost homes), a lot of emotional issues that they're dealing with,” he said.

Some homeowners still struggling

With several destructive fires in recent years, some homeowners are taking their time deciding how and whether to rebuild.

One family is dealing with an unimaginable situation: They were weeks away from moving into their home when it was destroyed by the McDougall Creek blaze, and that home had been a replacement of their first house, which burned down in an electrical fire in 2019. 

“It's looking like a long road ahead and it's putting a lot of strain on me and my partner's relationship," said Patrick Lacey. "My kids are in therapy trying to get through two fires' worth of PTSD."

The Traders Cove home was uninsured, in part because he was building it himself. After months of complications and difficulty finding service providers, they’ve only just completed the demolition, but he’s grateful that tragedy was avoided.

“I waited 'til the last minute and my kids called in a panic from the highway saying, 'Dad, get our you're not gonna –'” he said, growing emotional. “I didn't want to leave becuase I knew what we were looking at, and at the end of the day it was a total loss.” 

He estimates it’ll take up to seven years to rebuild.

Triple-whammy for Westbank First Nation

The Westbank First Nation’s lands and businesses are closely integrated with West Kelowna, and dozens were displaced after a dozen homes and a four-plex burned to the ground.

Replacements are now under contsruction, but it’ll take much longer to address nearly 8,000 hectares of forest that burned over several days last August.

“We’re dealing with a lot of restoration, a lot of lost timber, many animals are gone,” said Kukpi Robert Louie, the First Nation’s chief. “We've lost vegetation, plants, medicines, we've got erosion issues, those are many significant issues that are going to be with us for years to come.”

He pointed out that widespread road closures and fire impact on the community’s water treatment system prompted the closure of some businesses, and tourists disappeared; this year is worse in some ways.

“It's a 30-per-cent, minimum, loss of business activity. People are shying away from the Okanagan and that's a lasting impact,” said Louie. “If there's fear there's going to be fires and smoke, why would you want a holiday here at the Okanagan?”

Milsom joined him in encouraging visitors to return to the area.

“(We) have clear skies in our beautiful community, so certainly visitors are welcome, and just keep our fingers crosed that we get through the next few weeks safely,” he said.