Summerland residents begin returning home as roughly 1,200 properties cleared for re-entry
Residents of Summerland are returning to their homes after being evacuated due to the Bald Range wildfire. While many properties were spared from structural damage, residents are dealing with ash and smoke cleanup while expressing frustration over the evacuation process.
Why it matters
Highlights the challenges of disaster recovery and the logistical difficulties faced by citizens during wildfire evacuations.
After more than a week away, some Summerland residents are finally walking back through their front doors as parts of the community begin to reopen following the Bald Range wildfire.
Re-entry is currently allowed in Trout Creek and areas of Summerland east of Highway 97, covering roughly 1,200 properties.
For Scott and Linda Goodwin, being home again is a relief. Their property has no major structural damage, but smoke and ash are everywhere.
“It smells like smoke,” Scott said, describing what he found when he returned. “There was ash all through here.”
His first job was cleaning. He got down on his knees with a shop vacuum to clear the ash from inside his home.
Despite that, Linda says she is simply grateful to have a home to return to even though there is a strong smell of wildfire in her home.
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