Farm, sanctuary, and music venue lost to B.C. wildfire

Craig Milton, owner of a small farm, animal sanctuary, and music venue in Summerland, British Columbia, has lost his entire property to the rapidly spreading Bald Range wildfire. Milton described the terrifying experience of realizing the fire was dangerously close and the subsequent loss of his home and business.

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We thought, oh, geez, that’s close.

Milton and his wife were at home Friday night when they learned about a fire at the Crump Recreation site, about 15 kilometers away. Initially, they felt relatively safe, as the fire appeared to be behind them and north of their location. However, the situation escalated quickly as emergency vehicles and helicopters passed by, indicating the fire had reached Faulder.

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So by then, Faulder was burning, I think. And so, yeah, you pretty quickly got to realize that we’re in a serious situation here.

"So by then, Faulder was burning, I think," Milton recounted. "And so, yeah, you pretty quickly got to realize that we’re in a serious situation here." The couple focused on protecting their animals, who reside in paddocks with no coniferous trees, making them less susceptible to ignition. Fortunately, all the animals survived.

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I had to call them and say, ‘I don’t think this is happening,'

Simultaneously, Milton was preparing for a concert scheduled for Saturday night with about 100 guests and musicians from New York. He had to cancel the event, stating, "I don’t think this is happening." The evacuation was chaotic, with alerts and warnings coming too late for many residents. Milton described fleeing as the fire crested the hill behind their home, emphasizing the speed and intensity of the blaze. "There was no time to do anything more than the bit that we put in," he said.

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As we drove away, we could see in our rear view mirror the fire cresting the mountain. It was that close and that fast. There was no time to do anything more than the bit that we put in.