PENTICTON — The chief of the Penticton Indian Band in British Columbia says events such as the wildfire that forced thousands of people from their homes in the Okanagan aren’t natural occurrences and more needs to be done to fix the problem.

Chief Greg Gabriel, whose members are among the evacuees, says that 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