Macklin McCall, MLA for West Kelowna-Peachland, and Hon. Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Leader of the Conservative Party of B.C., are calling on Premier David Eby to immediately declare a provincial state of emergency in response to the Bald Range wildfire, which has forced the evacuation of the entire District of Summerland and thousands more in Peachland and surrounding areas.
The fire has burned more than 95 square kilometres and is showing aggressive, fast-moving behaviour, with embers carried up to a kilometre ahead of the main fire front. More than 20,000 people are now under evacuation order, Highway 97 is closed, and the District of Summerland has declared a local state of emergency.
A provincial declaration would unlock additional resources for crews on the ground, including funding for equipment such as self-contained breathing apparatus and upgraded firefighting gear, expanded training facility resources, and broader access to personnel and heavy equipment.
"Families in Summerland and Peachland left their homes in minutes, some with embers landing in their cars as they fled," said McCall. "A local declaration isn't enough for a fire moving this fast. The Province needs to declare a state of emergency now so crews have every tool and every resource available to them."
Hon. Kerry-Lynne Findlay echoed McCall's concerns. "20,000 people have been forced from their homes overnight," said Findlay. "Premier Eby must declare a provincial state of emergency and ensure firefighters, seniors in care, and the hospitals serving them have everything they need to stay safe."
McCall and Findlay are calling on the Province to confirm sufficient air, ground, and equipment resources are being deployed to the Bald Range fire, and to provide residents with clear, timely updates as the situation develops.
Okanagan farmers are facing a water crisis as government-imposed restrictions threaten to kill their crops and destroy one of B.C.’s most important agricultural industries. In perhaps the most water-rich province in the country, our farmers have been left high and dry by the NDP government. For nine weeks, Okanagan and Shuswap farmers have proposed solutions, only to be met with NDP foot-dragging. Now forest fires have come to these regions as they are simultaneously reckoning with a water crisis that has been made worse through years of government inaction. Vernon-area farms have lost 70 percent of their water, while Kelowna and Summerland growers face severe restrictions. This situation is unacceptable and cannot continue. Ian Paton, Shadow Minister for Agriculture, said the NDP is once again forcing farmers to pay for its own failure to plan. "Farmers and ranchers must be listened to when decisions affecting their livelihoods are made, and under the NDP, they aren’t," said...
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