Summerland, B.C., rescinds last evacuation orders due to destructive wildfire

SUMMERLAND — The Okanagan B.C. community of Summerland has rescinded all evacuation orders almost two months after a wildfire tore through the region.

The District of Summerland says that all remaining properties previously on evacuation orders have been transitioned to a prohibit-entry order.

It says in a release that post-wildfire hazard assessment is ongoing and the order that prevents people from entering properties is needed to make sure recovery can continue safely and efficiently.

Access to the restricted zone covers about 30 properties and is limited to those who are authorized.

About 150 buildings were damaged or destroyed in the Bald Range wildfire after the blaze grew rapidly on the evening of Aug. 7, triggering the evacuation of thousands of residents in Summerland and surrounding communities.

An 80-year-old woman in nearby Meadow Valley died during the evacuation in a fatality police say was “a result of the wildfire.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2026.