Bald Range Wildfire Under Control After 25 Days, Thousands of Residents Return Home

The Bald Range wildfire, which caused widespread destruction about 15 kilometres west of Summerland, B.C., has finally been brought under control after nearly 25 days of intensive firefighting efforts.

According to the B.C. Wildfire Service, the fire broke out on August 7 and has affected approximately 25,163 hectares of land. The wildfire spread rapidly in its early stages, prompting evacuation orders for nearly 20,000 people in Summerland and surrounding areas.

With the fire now under control, most evacuation orders and alerts have been lifted, allowing thousands of residents to return home after being away for nearly a month.

Fire crews are continuing to work along the fire’s perimeter to extinguish remaining hotspots and pockets of smoke. Local authorities are urging the public to stay away from affected areas because of the movement of heavy equipment and water tankers.

The B.C. Wildfire Service says the cause of the fire remains under investigation.