When the McDougall Creek fire sparked on Aug. 15, 2023, no one could’ve imagined it would mushroom in size, consuming homes, infrastructure and livelihoods in the West Kelowna area with damage that will take years to address. Of around 200 damaged homes in West Kelowna, Lake Country, the Westbank First Nation, and other nearby communities, dozens are under construction, dozens more have cleared the debris, and others look much the same as they did at the end of the fire season, when the fire was .
West Kelowna's mayor points out supply chain issues, a shortage of skilled labour, and insurance issues are all playing roles in slowing down replacement of the lost homes, while his big concern is . “Within our road right-of-ways there's a lot of trees that have been damaged and we need help to have those trees removed,” said Gord Milsom. “There's a lot of (hazard trees), and it's quite costly.
” Recently, Milsom reached out to the mayor of Jasper to offer his support to that fire-ravaged community, and he has spent some of the last year encouraging other municipal leaders to offer clear, frequent communication in emergencies with so many people anxious about what’s happening. “It's a still difficult time for those families (who’ve lost homes), a lot of emotional issues that they're dealing with,” he said. With several destructive fires in recent years, some homeowners are taking their time deciding how and whether to rebuild.
One family is dealing with an unimagin.