‘Our staff were in tears’: B.C. wildfires force restaurant to throw out more than $20K in food

Fire crews from Mexico and Costa Rica arrive as wildfires devastate Summerland, destroying homes and raising major economic concerns. Andrew Johnson reports.

SUMMERLAND, B.C. – The wildfire that has forced an estimated 20,000 people from their homes and destroyed houses just west of Summerland, B.C. is also proving to be economically destructive in the tourism-dependent region.

Jesse Ritchie operates the 250-seat Shaughnessy’s Cove restaurant in the Trout Creek area of Summerland. He said he had just stocked up for what was expected to be one of the busiest weekends of the summer before the evacuation order hit.

But after losing power for more than a day, tens of thousands of dollars worth of meat, seafood, fresh pasta, vegetables and other perishables had to be thrown away.

“It’s not food safe and it’s not legal to serve,” Ritchie said.

On Monday, Ritchie said staff were permitted to enter the evacuation zone and given one hour to attempt to salvage any product that was still safe to eat.

“Our staff were in tears,” he said. “Not because of the monetary value, that’s one thing, but just the fact that this product is now being wasted and not being consumed and utilized. We aren’t able to donate it or do anything with it.

“It was one of the worst experiences I’ve faced in 20 years in this industry,” he added.

Ritchie was quick to point out the hit to his restaurant does not compare to the devastation facing families who have lost their homes, but he estimates the restaurant lost between $20,000 and $30,000 in inventory. He said nearly every restaurant, winery, coffee shop and tourism business in Summerland will be facing similar losses.

“This is a tourist town,” he said. “It’s a couple months a year to squirrel away as much as you can to survive the slow winters.”

He warned many small businesses may not survive without government assistance.

“Unless the government is able to step in and subsidize these small businesses, there’s people that aren’t going to be able to survive,” he said.

Ritchie also hoped visitors will not write off the Okanagan once it is safe to return, saying businesses will need a strong late-summer, fall and winter tourism season to recover.

Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes said people will not be back in their homes “anytime soon,” but confirmed officials are developing plans for a phased re-entry as soon as conditions allow it, and the wildfire is brought under control.

“We need to just pull together as the community we are and get through this,” Holmes said. “And we will get through this, and we’ll be stronger.”