‘It’s very hard to accept’: B.C. family reeling after losing home to Bradley Creek blaze

Some people have lost homes to the destructive Bradley Creek wildfire near Vernon, including on the Okanagan Indian Band Reserve.

While the toll of the destructive Bradley Creek wildfire is not fully known, some of the people affected are learning just how much they’ve lost.

That includes Amber Cardenas, who was forced to flee home on the Okanagan Indian Band Reserve over the weekend—along with four other adults and a toddler who were living together on the property.

Cardenas said they’ve since received a photo showing “just a flat lot where our house was.”

“I’ve lived there for about 12 years, and it’s my partner’s childhood home,” she said. “She’s at a loss for words.”

Many evacuees are still anxiously awaiting more information. Officials have asked for patience as crews continue battling the wildfire, which exploded in size as strong winds famed the flames over tinder-dry terrain.

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Cardenas said she learned about their home through friends and relatives on the firefighting crew.

As they were being evacuated, Cardenas said the winds pushed dark smoke through the area, and they could hear ponderosa pines “exploding and popping.”

“When we left, there was fire all around,” she said. “You could hear the wind just roaring through, and you could hear the crackling of all the flames.”

Despite it all, Cardenas said they were still hopeful their home would be spared. They were evacuated previously, during the White Rock Lake wildfire of 2021, and had a similar scare back then when they heard rumours their house had been lost, she said.

Those rumours turned out to be false. This time, the family was not so lucky.

“It feels surreal,” Cardenas said. “It just flips your life upside-down.”

Since leaving home, they have been staying with relatives in West Kelowna, and have received some clothing donations through the Westbank First Nation as they prepare for the long recovery ahead.

The family was able to save a few of their belongings, but not much, Cardenas said.

“We’ve been going through waves of grief and emotion,” she said. “We wish it wasn’t so.”

The family has also set up a GoFundMe for basic living expenses in the near-term, and to eventually help rebuild their lives. It had raised more than $7,200 by Monday evening.

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Ben Miljure