Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes said residents should not expect to return home immediately as crews continue battling the Bald Range wildfire.
Holmes was among those who evacuated Summerland overnight as the fire threatened the community.
“We left about 3 in the morning last night and joined the convoy of vehicles coming out of Summerland,” Holmes said.
He said residents are accustomed to seeing fires in the area, but the speed of the Bald Range wildfire quickly became a concern.
“There’s small fires all around all the time, so you just kinda think, “Okay, another…Oh, jeez, another fire,” just as the smoke was starting to clear, and then we just heard about how fast it was spreading, and I guess it was unprecedented how fast this fire moved and how quickly it came towards Summerland.”
Holmes said residents should not expect to return immediately.
“We’re not going home today. They’re still fighting the fire. It’s an unpredictable fire and we don’t don’t really know how it’s moving and where it’s moving.”
Even after the immediate threat passes, Holmes said officials will have to assess infrastructure before residents can return.
“And even when it is safe, they have to assess all the infrastructure. The town has to be safe before people can go back to their homes.”
“My heart goes out to the whole town”
In neighbouring Penticton, Mayor Julius Bloomfield said the sudden arrival of evacuees put additional pressure on a city already busy with visitors for Peach Festival.
“Obviously a very dynamic situation and suddenly the population of Summerland, which is roughly 25 per cent of the population of Penticton, move into Penticton during the course of one night, at a time when we are at a most saturated with tourists on Peach Fest weekend.”
Bloomfield spent time at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, where evacuees were being received.
“People are generally accepting of the situation and, and they understand that it is challenging and with a sudden rush of 10,000 people that come into the city,”
He also praised Penticton residents for providing food, drinks, blankets and bedding to those displaced by the wildfire.
“The people of Penticton have been coming in donating everything, food, drink, blankets and bedding. There’s been outpouring of support from the people of Penticton.”
