Summerland residents return to neighbourhoods forever changed by the Bald Range wildfire

Residents of Summerland are returning to their homes to find neighborhoods irrevocably changed by the recent Bald Range wildfire.

For couples like Rick and Nan Cogbill, the relief of returning home is tempered by the stark reality of destruction. "When we turned the corner into the neighbourhood, the entire view is completely different. There is supposed to be a house there, and now there is just complete wreckage and burned trees," Nan described. Their own home survived, but four houses immediately surrounding theirs were lost.

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When we turned the corner into the neighbourhood, the entire view is completely different. There is supposed to be a house there, and now there is just complete wreckage and burned trees.

Having lived in the neighborhood long enough to be considered its "grandparents," the Cogbills found the devastation particularly difficult to witness. "Then we looked to the right and we can see houses we’ve never seen before because there’s normally a house blocking that view," Rick said. "Then we look across the street and it looks like a completely different subdivision than the one we left."

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Then we looked to the right and we can see houses we’ve never seen before because there’s normally a house blocking that view. Then we look across the street and it looks like a completely different subdivision than the one we left.

As residents begin the transition from evacuation to recovery, the focus shifts to rebuilding lives and communities. The provincial government has committed to an after-action review of the wildfire response, aiming to improve future prevention and management strategies. They are actively seeking feedback from the public and relevant organizations.

While the Cogbills experienced minimal damage to their own property, including a burned fence and melted shed, their hearts go out to their neighbors. "Our neighbours have a long way to go and we really feel for them," Rick stated, acknowledging the arduous road ahead for those who lost their homes.

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Our neighbours have a long way to go and we really feel for them.