The embers have cooled, but the uncertainty burns on for dozens of families who once called Lake Okanagan Resort home. Standing on the charred hillside overlooking what remains of the once-bustling lakeside community, I can’t help but feel the weight of displacement that hangs in the air.
“We’re essentially homeless and paying a mortgage on a pile of ash,” says Melanie Johannesen, who purchased her two-bedroom condo just 18 months before the McDougall Creek wildfire tore through West Kelowna last August.
The devastating blaze destroyed approximately 200 structures in the resort community, including numerous strata units owned by residents who now find themselves in an impossible situation: paying mortgages on properties they cannot access, cannot rebuild, and cannot sell.
What makes their predicament uniquely challenging is the complex ownership structure. While condo owners hold title to their individual units, the land belongs to a separate corporate entity that has been largely uncommunicative about rebuilding plans. The resort’s strata council president, Darren Mehrer, explains the frustration felt by many owners.
“We’re stuck in this terrible legal gray zone. Insurance companies point to the land lease agreement, the landowner remains silent, and meanwhile, families are burning through their savings just trying to stay afloat,” Mehrer told me during a community meeting in downtown Kelowna last week.
The BC Wildfire Service has confirmed the McDougall Creek fire damaged approximately 27% of properties within its perimeter, making it one of the most destructive in the province’s recent history. For the resort community, the destruction was far more concentrated, with nearly 85% of structures lost or severely damaged according to preliminary assessments from the Regional District of Central Okanagan.
The disaster highlights a growing challenge in British Columbia’s wildfire management strategy. The province allocated $145 million to the BC Wildfire Service in its 2023 budget, but critics argue more focus needs to be placed on community planning and wildfire resilience in high-risk areas, not just firefighting resources.
Dr. Lori Daniels, a forest ecology professor at UBC, points out that the increasing frequency of these catastrophic fires creates recovery challenges beyond the immediate emergency response.
“What we’re seeing at Lake Okanagan Resort is sadly not unique. When complex property arrangements meet wildfire destruction, the path to recovery becomes extraordinarily difficult for homeowners,” Daniels explains. “Provincial disaster recovery funds typically don’t account for these complicated ownership structures.”
The emotional toll is palpable among residents. Keith Germaine, a retired schoolteacher who purchased his lakeside unit as a retirement investment in 2015, describes the constant stress.
“Every month I write that mortgage cheque for a place that doesn’t exist anymore. I’ve drained my savings paying for temporary accommodation, and there’s no end in sight,” Germaine says, his voice catching slightly. “The worst part is feeling forgotten.”
Beyond the immediate housing crisis, the broader economic impact ripples through the community. The resort employed dozens of local workers and generated significant tourism revenue for the region. West Kelowna Mayor Gord Milsom acknowledges the difficult position faced by displaced residents but notes the limitations of municipal authority in the situation.
“While we’re deeply concerned about these homeowners, the city has limited jurisdiction when it comes to private property disputes like this. We’re encouraging the province to consider special measures to address this unique situation,” Milsom said in a statement provided to Mediawall.news.
For the affected families, their plight has evolved into a grassroots advocacy campaign. They’ve formed the Lake Okanagan Resort Owners Association, meeting weekly at a local community center to share resources and press government officials for intervention.
