The Bradley Creek wildfire continues to affect communities across the North Okanagan and Shuswap, with evacuation orders and alerts remaining in place, transportation disrupted and more than 3,500 electricity customers still without power as crews assess extensive damage to infrastructure.
Officials said preliminary assessments indicate the wildfire caused significant damage to utility infrastructure in the Westside Road, Vernon and Spallumcheen areas. Restoration work is underway, but a timeline for restoring power has not been announced.
The BC Wildfire Service estimates the Bradley Creek wildfire at 2,603 hectares and said it remains out of control.
The City of Vernon said Vernon Fire Rescue Services crews continued patrolling high-risk areas overnight for spot fires and new ignitions while also supporting wildfire suppression efforts in neighbouring Spallumcheen. The city said there is currently no wildfire activity within Vernon related to the Bradley Creek wildfire.
Travel remains affected throughout the North Okanagan. Officials are urging residents to check DriveBC before travelling, noting that sections of Highway 97 remain closed because of wildfire activity. Motorists are also being asked to avoid Westside Road whenever possible to keep routes clear for emergency responders.
Boaters on Okanagan Lake are reminded to stay well clear of water-bombing aircraft. Officials said firefighting aircraft require unobstructed access to safely collect water and that anyone nearby should move away immediately to avoid interfering with operations.
Emergency Support Services continues to assist residents displaced by the wildfire through its reception centre at Kal Tire Place in Vernon. Evacuees can register in person, by phone or online, while limited overnight group lodging remains available at the Vernon Recreation Centre auditorium for those who have no other accommodation options.
The Township of Spallumcheen said evacuation order and evacuation alert boundaries remain unchanged and will be reassessed with the BC Wildfire Service on Monday.
The township said 355 properties remain under evacuation order and 387 properties remain under evacuation alert. Residents are reminded not to enter evacuation areas because crews continue working around hazards including downed power lines and unstable trees. Keeping roads clear is essential for firefighting equipment and other emergency vehicles.
The reception centre at Hassan Arena remains open to support evacuees, while the township’s emergency operations centre is scheduled to reopen Monday morning.
The Regional District of North Okanagan has also expanded an evacuation alert in Electoral Area B west of 6 Mile Creek Rd. due to the Bradley Creek wildfire. Residents within the alert area are advised to be prepared to leave on short notice if conditions worsen.
Residents can confirm whether their property is within an evacuation alert area by using the Shuswap Emergency Program’s online emergency mapping tool. Emergency officials are also encouraging residents to prepare in advance by reviewing the Community Evacuation Guide, downloading and verifying the BC Services Card app to help streamline Emergency Support Services registration if needed, and signing up for Alertable notifications to receive emergency alerts by text message, email, phone call or the mobile app.
Officials also reminded motorists that road closures can change with little notice and advised travellers to monitor DriveBC for the latest highway information. The BC Wildfire Service dashboard remains the primary source for updates on wildfire activity and fire behaviour.
The latest developments underscore the wildfire’s growing impact across the region, with thousands still without electricity, evacuation orders and alerts affecting hundreds of properties, road closures disrupting travel and emergency crews continuing to focus on protecting homes, infrastructure and public safety while working to contain the fire.
