Last week, my family and I were camping in my beautiful hometown in the Okanagan when we saw a wildfire begin. It grew quickly, and that night we found ourselves at the local community centre as people from Summerland arrived with very little notice.
I found myself reflecting on what happened around us. Staff moved quickly. Calls were made, staff were woken up, notices were printed and shared, and information travelled through both official channels and the informal, trusted networks people rely on in their communities. It's not by luck that people knew who to call, where to find information and how to help.
Our experience was only one small window into a much larger response happening across BC. Fires are affecting many communities, territories and regions, with countless people working across jurisdictions and organizations to keep others safe.
What I witnessed reinforced my appreciation for how much skill sits behind fast community response: judgement, communication, relationship-building, local knowledge, coordination and the ability to respond to people who may suddenly be facing enormous uncertainty. It left me deeply grateful for the quiet competence of people who knew their community and went to work.
There is still so much uncertainty, and for many the road ahead will be long. Rebuilding homes, businesses, livelihoods and a sense of stability will take time.
Our thoughts are with everyone who has been displaced or who has lost homes, access to work, animals, businesses, livelihoods or cherished natural spaces.
And our sincere thanks go to the firefighters, community leaders, emergency teams, volunteers, service providers, local businesses, neighbours and many others doing this difficult work across the territories and places in the province. The depth of human care, knowledge and coordination behind these response is extraordinary.
Jennifer Nichol
Interim CEO
Wildfire Information and Support
