How to help out Okanagan wildfire evacuees

How to help out Okanagan wildfire evacuees | iNFOnews.ca
Terry Moran and his partner Dianna Oen, who are evacuated from their home due to Bradley Creek wildfire and have sleeping in their vehicles since Saturday, sit with their dog Colette in the parking lot outside the evacuee reception centre, in Vernon, B.C., on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. The couple have been told their house survived the fire. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

With more than 21,000 people forced from their homes across the province, and 12,000 of them from Summerland, those lucky enough to still be at home may want to help out.

From straight-up donations of cash to precise lists of the items needed for evacuees, here’s a comprehensive list of ways to help out.

I have money but no time

There are numerous legitimate organizations to donate money to.

Other organizations include:

There are also tips to prevent being swindled. 

The BC government says to avoid giving cash or using wire transfer services and to make sure cheques are made out to an organization, not an individual. Online donations should only be done on secure websites. For more tips on keeping your money safe, go here.

I’m in the Penticton area and I have time and resources

OneSky Community Resources, located at the Penticton campus of Okanagan College, has a comprehensive list, which is updated daily, of items needed. The list ranges from brand new sealed toiletries to manual wheelchairs and cat litter. It’s very important to check the list to see what they need, as bringing items they don’t need creates more work for volunteers.

Help Summerland is a website set up hours after the wildfire started. It connects people who need help with those who can offer it.

I’m in the Kelowna and Vernon area and I have time and resources

Donations of goods for those affected by the Bradley Creek wildfire can be dropped off at WL Seaton Secondary School in Vernon. Again, the organization has a comprehensive list of what they do and don’t need. Check it before dropping off goods.

The Central Okanagan Food Bank has several locations where people can drop off donations.

I want to lend a hand volunteering for an organization

United Way BC offers would-be volunteers opportunities at numerous locations throughout the province.

The Canadian Red Cross has information about enrolling as a volunteer.

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Ben Bulmer

After a decade of globetrotting, U.K. native Ben Bulmer ended up settling in Canada in 2009. Calling Vancouver home he headed back to school and studied journalism at Langara College. From there he headed to Ottawa before winding up in a small anglophone village in Quebec, where he worked for three years at a feisty English language newspaper. Ben is always on the hunt for a good story, an interesting tale and to dig up what really matters to the community.

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