As the hot August sun beat down on the scorched landscapes of British Columbia’s southern interior, the sense of relief was palpable. Residents of Sorrento began cautiously returning to their homes this week, testing the emotional waters of what it means to rebuild a community still threatened by unpredictable flames.
“You don’t know what normal looks like anymore,” said Erica Wilson, a restaurant owner who fled with little more than family photos and her daughter’s favorite stuffed bear. “The sky is still hazy, but at least we’re standing on home ground again.”
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District announced Tuesday that evacuation orders affecting approximately 1,560 properties around Sorrento have been downgraded to alerts. This welcome development comes after locals endured weeks of displacement, with many seeking refuge in Salmon Arm emergency shelters.
Despite this partial victory, officials stress that the Bush Creek East wildfire remains classified as “out of control” at nearly 45,000 hectares. The B.C. Wildfire Service reports the fire is still active along its southern edge, causing particular concern for nearby communities like Squilax-Lee Creek.
The wildfire’s path has been merciless. Preliminary assessments from Emergency Management B.C. indicate roughly 170 structures have been damaged or destroyed, though detailed inspections continue. For many, returning means confronting the stark reality of what remains.
“It’s not just houses we’ve lost,” explained Jason Doerksen, a volunteer firefighter who helped battle the blaze while his own home was evacuated. “It’s the camping spot where my kids caught their first fish, it’s Mrs. Bentley’s garden that fed half the neighborhood every summer. Those things don’t show up on property assessments.”
The B.C. government has mobilized significant resources to battle this and other wildfires across the province. Premier David Eby visited the Thompson-Okanagan region last week, announcing $5 million in immediate recovery funding for affected communities. The province has also requested additional military assistance from Ottawa as firefighting efforts approach their second month.
“We’re seeing unprecedented challenges this fire season,” Eby told reporters during his visit to a Salmon Arm evacuation center. “Climate change isn’t some future problem—it’s burning homes right now.”
Indeed, the science backs this assertion. According to Natural Resources Canada, the average area burned annually by wildfires has doubled since the 1970s, with climate models predicting this trend will intensify. The Bush Creek East wildfire exemplifies this new reality, having grown explosively under record-breaking summer temperatures and drought conditions that turned forests into tinderboxes.
For evacuees now permitted to return home, the process remains complicated. The regional district has established re-entry points where residents must show identification before proceeding. These checkpoints also distribute critical information packages outlining potential hazards, from compromised utilities to dangerous tree falls.
“Going home isn’t as simple as turning a key in the lock anymore,” explained Shelley Morris, emergency operations coordinator for the Columbia Shuswap Regional District. “Some properties won’t have power. Water systems need testing. There might be refrigerators full of spoiled food.”
The emotional toll continues to mount. At Salmon Arm’s emergency support center, mental health professionals have been working alongside volunteers distributing necessities. The Canadian Red Cross has registered over 4,000 individuals affected by this single wildfire, providing everything from emergency funding to teddy bears for displaced children.
Local businesses face their own struggles. Tourism operators around Shuswap Lake estimate losses in the millions as the peak summer season was effectively cancelled. Insurance companies have deployed mobile claims units, though many residents worry about coverage gaps for events classified as “evacuation without damage.”
Politically, the wildfire crisis has intensified debates about forest management and emergency response capabilities
