Penticton, B.C., ends state of emergency after blaze destroys long-term care site

Penticton has cancelled an evacuation order and lifted a state of local emergency following the massive fire at a care home site.

PENTICTON — The City of Penticton has cancelled an evacuation order and lifted a state of local emergency about a week after a fire burned down the site of a long-term care home.

The fire at 453 Green Ave. was reported last Wednesday at the construction site for the three-storey structure.

Penticton declared a local state of emergency and ordered 10 properties evacuated.

The structure was supposed to be turned into a 200-bed long-term care facility to meet regional needs.

Health Minister Josie Osborne says the fire will reset the project and is “devastating to seniors in the region.”

The city says RCMP and the local fire department will continue investigating the fire.

The city said last week that an unstable crane used in the construction process at the site could pose a safety risk.

But Kristen Dixon, emergency operations centre director, says they have received confirmation that the crane is stable and can remain in place while the site contractor creates a plan to dismantle the structure.

The city says Highway 97 will be fully reopened as soon as possible while Green Avenue will remain closed until further notice.

“We would like to express our sympathies to those who have been impacted by this incident and want to thank the evacuees for their patience over the last week while we worked with officials to ensure the area is safe,” said Dixon.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2026.