Wildfire near Summerland, B.C., remains active as residents return

While most evacuation orders have come down for the Bald Range wildfire near Summerland, the BC Wildfire Service is reporting the blaze remains active.

The BC Wildfire Service says in an update posted Tuesday that the blaze saw increased behaviour the previous night, resulting in several spot fires along the northwestern flank that were contained by crews.

It warned that fuels remained dry, which can make fires unpredictable.

The wildfire service says there is potential for a cold front to move through the area late Friday, but that could also bring stronger and shifting winds, which could result in increased fire behaviour.

The update came as more than 3,000 properties were taken off the evacuation list and residents were allowed to re-enter, though they remained on evacuation alert.

The BC Wildfire Service is warning that nearby residents can expect to see smouldering ground fire and smoke within the blaze’s perimeter for the next few weeks.

“This is common following large wildfires and is typically not a concern,” it says.

The lifting of evacuation orders comes after regional officials provided their first tally of the destruction caused by the Bald Range fire, saying 150 structures were damaged or destroyed.

The regional district says about 110 of those structures are in the Faulder and Meadow Valley areas, while 40 are in the District of Summerland.

Erick Thompson, a spokesperson for the regional district, told an evening livestream on Tuesday that the reason they have not “received clearance” to allow residents of Faulder and Meadow Valley to return to their properties to look at the damage is “because of the crews and equipment that are on the road, working.”

The Bald Range wildfire is still classified as burning out of control and is about 220 square kilometres in size. It is one of about 130 active fires burning across the province.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2026.