Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes is warning evacuated residents to brace themselves for what they may find when they return home, saying the community already knows people who have lost homes.
“We need to brace ourselves for what’s there, or, what’s not there,” Holmes said during a regional wildfire briefing Monday night in Penticton. “It’s going to be hard. It’s going to be really hard.”
Holmes paused several times and appeared emotional as he spoke without notes.
Holmes said Summerland residents are facing an extended evacuation as crews battle the Bald Range wildfire.
The BC Wildfire Service said Monday the out-of-control fire had grown to an estimated 15,590 hectares, up from 13,618 hectares a day earlier.
The fire grew about one to 1.5 kilometres overnight on its northwestern and southern portions. BCWS said crews were working to limit further growth, including efforts to keep the fire south of the Trout Creek drainage and establish a contingency line near Summerland Golf Course.
“We’re not going to be going home anytime soon,” said Holmes, who was also forced to evacuate.
Plans are being developed for residents to eventually return, Holmes said, but that process cannot begin until conditions around the wildfire make it safe.
“The fire is still out of control, and we can’t start that process until that fire gets under control.”
Holmes said people in Summerland have already lost homes.
“We all know people right now, we all know people who have lost homes. We all have friends who have lost homes, and those people will need our help.”
He urged residents to keep supporting one another as the evacuation stretches on and acknowledged patience could wear thin.
“People’s patience are going to start to wear thin. We know that,” he said. “But we can’t lose sight of who we are. We need to keep helping each other.”
Holmes said residents have already shown that spirit during the evacuation.
“When we were evacuated, we helped each other,” Holmes said. “Neighbours helping neighbours, people helping the elderly. And we all got out of there.”
He said residents are also helping one another after being displaced from Summerland.
“We’re at the evacuation centre. We’re scattered all over town, but we’re pulling together and we’re helping.”
Holmes urged residents to avoid divisions and blame as Summerland eventually moves toward recovery.
“We can’t have any infighting. We can’t start laying blame,” Holmes said. “We need to just pull together as the community we are and get through this, and we will.”
Holmes said Summerland’s resilience will be critical in the days ahead.
“We’re a community. We’re a tight-knit community,” he said. “Let’s just keep that in mind and not start laying blame. Keep working together. Let’s be who we are.”
Holmes also thanked the individuals, organizations and neighbouring communities supporting Summerland during the wildfire emergency, saying there were too many to name.
“The focus is on us like it’s never been on us before, and we appreciate it.”
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