Highway reopening shows parts of Summerland, B.C., unscathed in fire evacuation zone

PENTICTON – The highway that runs through the wildfire evacuation zone in Summerland, B.C., has been reopened on a limited basis, with a drive-through showing that parts of the community visible from the road appear unscathed.

While the reopening has given some their first glimpse of the community since it was evacuated over the weekend, most of the town isn’t visible from Highway 97, and no stopping was allowed by police to anyone without a special permit.

But some damage could be seen at an Okanagan Lake-side guesthouse about seven kilometres north of Summerland, where the Bald Range fire’s mapped perimeter goes down to the waterline, and smoke was rising from the hillsides.

The fire that roared east towards Summerland on Friday is still listed as burning out of control, although most of the recent fire activity has been on its western flanks, away from the community of 12,000 residents.

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen says Highway 97 that has been shut since the evacuation is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with no stopping or exiting except for those with temporary access passes.

The district says the speed limit has been cut to 70 kilometres per hour and there is no access to any of the side roads to enter evacuated areas without a pass.

It says that if drivers don’t obey all the restrictions, the highway may need to be shut again.

The province’s DriveBC road information site said Thursday that the highway remains an active wildfire area, with conditions subject to change “with little or no warning.”

The BC Wildfire service said the fire now measures more than 191 square kilometres, having grown about seven square kilometres overnight, and there was a potential for increased fire behaviour on Thursday.

“Key factors that could contribute to increased fire behaviour today include winds above 15 km/h, periods of clearer skies and atmospheric instability associated with potential thunderstorm activity,” it said in its update.

Perimeter mapping by the service showed the fire had not advanced beyond the western outskirts of Summerland.

The service said crews were working on the fire’s southern flank, constructing 40 kilometres of fire guard since Saturday.

Central Okanagan Emergency Management meanwhile said the Quilpituk Creek fire between Vernon and Kelowna that triggered evacuations earlier this month had been held and was expected to remain within its current boundary.

The emergency operations centre said it was assessing tree danger and hydro lines to determine when residents can return home. Damage assessments were underway, the district said.

Thousands of residents were evacuated from Summerland and surrounding areas over the weekend when the Bald Range Fire roared towards the community.

Many ended up in Penticton, B.C., where they have been receiving an outpouring of support from the community, including at the local Sikh Temple where the president said hundreds had received free food and other items.

Ravinder Bains said donations had been flowing in from all over the Okanagan Valley, and tables at the temple were stacked with the fruit the region is famous for, vegetables, clothing and diapers. 

Jarnail Gill, an organizer at the temple, said they started communicating with aid agencies on the first day of the emergency and began feeding people within a few hours.

Premier David Eby and local MLA Amelia Boultbee visited the temple on Wednesday evening, and Boultbee said the evacuations have been “incredibly upsetting” but the community stepping up was a source of pride and optimism.

Laurie Andres, an evacuee from Summerland, was at the temple with a group of friends because they were hungry and said there had been an unbelievable amount of support and resources for people since being displaced. 

Andres said her son is a volunteer firefighter and she’s been told her home wasn’t damaged by the blaze that has emptied her hometown. 

“We’ve always been really lucky,” she said. “We’ve avoided the fires, but not this time.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2026.