People who lost homes to wildfire in Okanagan face long recovery process

Hundreds of residents have learned their homes have been destroyed by the McDougall Creek Wildfire.

The final tally on exactly how many homes burned is not in yet but about 70 properties were damaged in West Kelowna, 20 in Westbank First Nation and 90 in the rural area to the north, primarily Traders Cove, Wilsons’s Landing and Okanagan Lake Resort.

That’s just down Westside Road from Estamont, Beau Park and Killiney Beach where 75 properties suffered significant damage from the White Rock Lake Wildfire almost exactly two years ago.

READ MORE: iN PHOTOS: The devastation left behind by the White Rock Lake wildfire near Vernon

Most of those homes have yet to be rebuilt.

After that fire, the Regional District of Central Okanagan hired a Community Recovery Manager on contract and did things, at least temporarily, like waiving fees for things like water, sewer and some permits.

As of January of this year, only 46 demolition permits had been issued while 34 building permits and six development permits were approved.

A February 2022 report to the board showed that of 41 assessments that had been completed by that time, 29 were for primary residences and 12 for secondary residences.

Nine owners, 21%, had no insurance.

A bit earlier in the summer of 2021, much of Lytton was destroyed by wildfire. A June 30, 2023 Global TV report said no rebuilding had yet started in the village but building permits could now be issued. By that time, none had.

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