B.C. resident lost home to Bradley Creek wildfire: ‘It was all just so fast’

Rejane Simpson, a resident of North Okanagan, British Columbia, described the terrifying speed at which the Bradley Creek wildfire consumed her home. Simpson was at work when she learned of the smoke, initially believing the fire was contained. However, strong wind gusts exceeding 70 km/h fueled the wildfire, overwhelming firefighters' efforts.

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I never got an evacuation order.

Officials estimate that approximately 230 homes or structures may have been lost to the Bradley Creek wildfire. Simpson never received a formal evacuation order but was blocked by police from returning home after work. She was granted a brief 30-minute window to rescue her animals and grab essential belongings before fleeing.

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But my God, it was just all so fast. It just, it’s so dry. And it just wiped everything out.

"But my God, it was just all so fast," Simpson recounted, holding back tears. "It just, it’s so dry. And it just wiped everything out." She and her pets are safe and are currently staying with friends. The outpouring of support from friends and community members has been a silver lining, with many offering assistance.

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I guess the silver lining in all this is I didn’t realize how blessed I was with how many people care about me and how many have stepped forward to tell me that any help I need they’re more than willing to help.

Friends have established a GoFundMe campaign to help Simpson rebuild her life. Reflecting on the experience, Simpson stressed the importance of preparation, while admitting that panic is a natural reaction when faced with such a disaster. "You’ve got to keep telling yourself, just calm down and just do things logically and just try and have things ready. That’s all I can say," she advised.

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Just be prepared as much as you can and just know that it doesn’t matter how much you try and prepare for it, when the time happens, you’ll still panic. You’ve got to keep telling yourself, just calm down and just do things logically and just try and have things ready. That’s all I can say.