Summerland wildfire forces large numbers of seniors in residential care to relocate

Thousands of residents fled their homes as the Bald Range fire near Summerland, British Columbia, rapidly expanded Friday night. The evacuation notably included a significant number of senior citizens residing in care facilities.

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It was a fast-moving situation, fast-moving fire.

Health teams worked swiftly to ensure the safety of these residents, coordinating their relocation to appropriate care settings. David Hickey, a driver with the High Acuity Response Team, described the scene at the Kaigo Senior Living Facility in Kelowna, where dozens of evacuees were received. He noted the quick preparation of a new wing to accommodate the influx.

Hickey recounted the challenging transport conditions. With Highway 97 closed, evacuees faced lengthy detours through Princeton and Osoyoos before reaching Kelowna via Highway 33. This route extended the journey to four or five hours, a stark contrast to the usual 45-minute trip directly from Summerland.

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And again, I can’t imagine the situation they were in. And then once Highway 97 closed, they had to be rerouted all the way through Princeton back down through Osoyoos, that area and come back 33. For those familiar with that, that’s up by Big White and they had to come back in through the city. So I believe it was a four- or five-hour transport as opposed to a direct route coming from Summerland to Kelowna, which would have been less than 45 minutes.

Despite the ordeal, Hickey observed that most evacuees appeared to be in good spirits by Saturday morning, having had time to settle. He acknowledged the shock many felt due to the rapid escalation of the situation. "And you’re never fully prepared to be evacuated," he said. "You know, you’re either put on standby, or you’re told it could happen, but once it happens … you know, all bets are off and you just act."

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I think everybody was in shock just because of how quickly this happened.

Interior Health reported relocating 48 residents from the Dr. Andrew Pavilion and 190 residents from Summerland Seniors Village. Hickey urged the public to stay away from the Okanagan to allow first responders and essential personnel to manage the crisis effectively.

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And you’re never fully prepared to be evacuated. You know, you’re either put on standby, or you’re told it could happen, but once it happens … you know, all bets are off and you just act.