A co-ordinated effort found that 245 Okanagan Indian Band structures were damaged or destroyed in the Bradley Creek fire. The Bradley Creek fire was discovered on July 31 and quickly began burning out of control, prompting evacuation orders for several communities at the north end of Okanagan Lake. Last Saturday, the B.C. Wildfire Service declared the fire as being held after it burned through 26.5 square kilometres of land. According to the Vancouver Police Department, the Okanagan Indian Band requested the province’s help assessing the damage, and the Canada Task Force 1 heavy urban search and rescue team was deployed. The team is made up of B.C. paramedics, Vancouver firefighters, city of Vancouver engineering staff, and VPD officers. Members of this team had previously been deployed in response to wildfires and floods across the province. “The fire had destroyed or damaged an unknown number of structures, leaving residents waiting for answers about their homes and properties,” the VPD said, in a statement. “For a community facing the devastation of a wildfire, knowing what has been lost is an important first step toward beginning to rebuild.” CANTF1 examined 513 structures over three days and found 245 to be damaged or destroyed. Photos and information were gathered to help notify homeowners about the status of their land, the VPD said. Members were deployed for three days and spent their final day in the region mitigating potential hazards. This included safely bringing down free-standing chimneys left behind by the fire that posed risks to future responders and those returning to their homes. In addition, the VPD said CANTF1 helped local emergency response crews by entering an evacuation zone to evacuate an “elderly woman who was apprehended under the Mental Health Act.” Returning home Some evacuation orders remain in place, but they’ve been rescinded in other areas. The Okanagan Indian Band has asked anyone returning to their homes to use caution and consider hazards such as smoke, soot, ash, fallen power lines, structural damage, and sharp debris, even for homes not directly damaged by wildfire. “Residents returning home are reminded that this area has been affected by a significant wildfire. Conditions may look very different from when you left, and hazards may remain on individual properties and throughout the surrounding area,” reads a statement from the Okanagan Indian Band. “Follow any posted directions and do not enter damaged properties or areas that have been restricted.” The BCWS believes the Bradley Creek fire, barring significant changes, will remain burning within its current perimeter. Officials said flare-ups and hot spots may continue developing, but ground crews “will remain vigilant with suppression activities.” While it is no longer classified as a wildfire of note, 116 firefighters and six helicopters remain in the area working against the Bradley Creek blaze.
