Wildfire destroys about 230 homes in western Canadian Indigenous community, officials say
A fast-moving wildfire has destroyed approximately 230 homes in an Indigenous community near Vernon, British Columbia. The blaze, driven by high wind gusts, is considered one of the most destructive in recent Canadian history.
Why it matters
The increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires in Canada highlight the growing impact of climate change on vulnerable communities and infrastructure.
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VERNON, British Columbia (AP) — A fast-moving wildfire destroyed about 230 homes in an Indigenous community in western Canada, officials said Tuesday, making it one of the country’s most destructive fires in recent years.
Dan Wilson, chief of the Okanagan Indian Band, said the Bradley Creek wildfire devastated much of a reserve community near Vernon, about 440 kilometers (275 miles) northeast of Vancouver.
“It was hard to recognize my community from the air with all the structures and the forest gone,” Wilson said after surveying the area by helicopter.
The destruction ranks among Canada’s worst recent wildfires. A 2024 blaze in Jasper , Alberta, destroyed about 350 homes, while the 2023 McDougall Creek wildfire, also in British Columbia’s Okanagan region, destroyed about 200 homes.
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