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An RCMP cruiser sits in the middle of Main Street in downtown Summerland (Image Credit: RCMP)
Fire fight

Crews battle Bald Range wildfire as evacuees wait for answers

Aug 12, 2026 | 8:00 AM

It is day six of the Bald Range wildfire near Summerland, and crews are facing more tough conditions as they work to stop the fire from spreading.

About 20,000 people were forced to leave Summerland on Friday. Many are still waiting to find out if their homes are still standing.

Officials say they are not ready to give a number for how many homes have been destroyed. They say inspectors need to get into the area safely first.

“We want to make sure that we’re contacting people responsibly, and part of that is waiting for a safe time for inspectors to get in to understand and assess the condition of people’s homes,” said emergencies minister Kelly Greene.

The RCMP is warning evacuees not to break evacuation orders or go behind fire lines to check their homes. People who do could be arrested and removed.

Officials are also asking tourists to stay away from Summerland while crews continue to fight the fire.

BC Wildfire crews are getting help from teams from outside the province and other countries.

The weather could make the firefight more difficult. Blue skies, cooler temperatures and a chance of light rain are in the forecast.

“If the smoke clears, it is a challenge for us as we see clean oxygen on those fires and the potential for those fires to spread,” explained Cliff Chapman, operations director for the BC Wildfire Service.

“We’re going to see potentially new lightning strikes; we’re going to see winds that are going to be elevated and unpredictable in terms of direction, and so we are going to continue to be challenged even if we see precipitation enter this province.”

The fire is 17,802 hectares in size, with evacuation orders and alerts still in place.

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