Wildfire Engulfs Home as Family Flees in Minutes; Evacuees Criticize Support

Flames were visible on both sides of the driveway and "literally coming up the rise" as Kellie Mast and her family fled their home in the Benchland area above Okanagan Lake. With only minutes to spare, they escaped the Bradley Creek wildfire, leaving behind almost everything they owned.

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I could see the flames literally coming up the rise, and there was just our small little municipal road there. So, we had almost no time. It was like get out.

"When we drove out, the flames were in our yard," Mast recounted. "They were already surrounding our house." The family managed to grab only two bins of items from Mast's desk and a few of her daughter's clothes. Their home, like hundreds of others lost this wildfire season, is now reduced to ash and charred debris.

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When we drove out, the flames were in our yard. They were already surrounding our house, and when we left out the driveway… there was flames on both sides.

The Bradley Creek wildfire has consumed approximately 2,800 hectares and remains out of control, though its growth has reportedly slowed. Evacuation orders are still in effect as the BC Wildfire Service and local authorities prioritize ensuring the area's safety before allowing residents to return.

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There still are a lot of hazards that remain in the area after a wildfire has gone through an area. So just ensuring that essentially the area is safe for the public to return is a top priority for us and those local authorities.

Mast, however, voiced significant criticism regarding the evacuation process and the accessibility of support services. "Dealing with the evacuation process that they’ve set up with emergency services has been less than ideal," she stated. "We went through it in 2021, and it seemed like they were less prepared, not better prepared." As the family grapples with finding temporary housing and replacing essential necessities, Mast's grandson still asks to go home, a reality that remains uncertain.

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Dealing with the evacuation process that they’ve set up with emergency services has been less than ideal. We went through it in 2021, and it seemed like they were less prepared, not better prepared.