22.72°C Vancouver

Aug 25, 2023 9:41 PM - The Canadian Press

Houses of 13 fire fighters burnt in forest fire

Share On
houses-of-13-fire-fighters-burnt-in-forest-fire
Their homes were among 181 destroyed around Okanagan Lake last week.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

The chief of a small rural fire department in the B.C.'s Okanagan area says 13 members of his own crew have lost their homes while fighting wildfires this season.

Wilson's Landing Fire Chief Paul Zydowicz says members of the department still continued their fight to extinguish the wildfire.

Their homes were among 181 destroyed around Okanagan Lake last week.

Zydowicz says those who have lost their homes will be cared for by emergency support services.

Much of the area in the west of the lake is still under evacuation orders.

It is worth noting that there are currently about 370 wildfires active in B.C. and about 18,000 square kilometers of land has been burnt so far.

Latest news

BCJul 30, 2026

North York trio sentenced in $1.3M stolen liquor trafficking case in Ontario

Three North York residents have been sentenced for their roles in a stolen liquor trafficking operation involving more than $1.3 million worth of alcohol, according to Halton Regional Police. Police said 52-year-old Parminder Sidhu, 56-year-old Rajinder Kaur Sidhu and 25-year-old Navdeep Sidhu appeared in the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto on July 8. The court imposed sentences ranging from probation to nearly two years in custody. According to Halton Regional Police, the convictions followed a four-month joint investigation conducted by Halton Regional Police, the Toronto Police Service
BCJul 30, 2026

129 Wildfires Active Across B.C. as Brunswick Complex Fire Remains Out of Control

British Columbia's Minister of Forests and BC Wildfire Service, Ravi Parmar, says 129 wildfires are currently active across the province. According to the BC Wildfire Service, nine of those fires were discovered within the past 24 hours. Parmar said hot, dry conditions combined with strong winds continue to make firefighting efforts challenging. He said the weather is increasing the risk of new wildfire starts and could cause existing fires to grow. Fire crews are working to contain newly reported fires while continuing suppression efforts on incidents already burning. The minister said additi
supreme-court-allows-judicial-review-of-ethics-ruling-on-trudeaus-involvement-in-we-charity-decisions
CanadaJul 30, 2026

Supreme Court allows judicial review of ethics ruling on Trudeau's involvement in WE Charity decisions

The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Democracy Watch can proceed with a judicial review of a federal ethics commissioner's decision that cleared former prime minister Justin Trudeau of wrongdoing in relation to decisions involving WE Charity. The case stems from a May 2021 report by then–Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion, who concluded Trudeau did not contravene the Conflict of Interest Act when he participated in government decisions concerning WE Charity, an organization that operated programs in Canada and internationally. Democracy Watch sought judicial review
illegal-firearm-smuggling-through-surrey-border-crossing-leads-to-jail-sentence
BCJul 30, 2026

Illegal firearm smuggling through Surrey border crossing leads to jail sentence

A man has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison and prohibited from possessing firearms for 10 years after admitting to smuggling a loaded handgun into Canada through the Surrey border area. According to RCMP Federal Policing Pacific Region Media Relations Officer Cpl. Parmbir Kahlon, the investigation began on Sept. 11, 2025, after the United States Border Patrol notified Canadian authorities that an individual had crossed illegally into Canada near 183 Street and 0 Avenue in Surrey. The RCMP's Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET) responded and arrested Jaskaran Banth under th
supreme-court-issues-notice-to-punjab-cm-bhagwant-mann-aap-leaders-in-2020-protest-case
IndiaJul 30, 2026

Supreme Court issues notice to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, AAP leaders in 2020 protest case

The Supreme Court has issued notices to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders on a petition filed by the Chandigarh Administration challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling that quashed a rioting case linked to a 2020 protest against higher electricity tariffs. The notices were issued to Mann, Harpal Singh Cheema, Gurmeet Singh, Meet Hayer, Baljinder Kaur, Aman Arora and others, directing them to respond to the Chandigarh Administration's petition. During the hearing, the Additional Solicitor General argued that the High Court's decision was leg

Related News