B.C. wildfires destroy lakeside homes, with 30 new added in past 24 hours

A wildfire fanned by 115 kilometre per hour winds razed homes along the west side of British Columbia’s Okanagan Lake, forcing many residents to escape to safety.

Video and photos posted online show flames in the night sky, and later, the charred remains of buildings along the northern end of the lake, near Vernon.

The BC Wildfire Service said Sunday that winds from an intense weather system on Saturday were too much for aircraft to hold back the Bradley Creek fire.

It prompted the evacuation of the Okanagan Indian Band reserve, while separate evacuation orders and alerts are up near the cities of Vernon and Armstrong. ---More...

Scary and devastating news out of Vernon BC. pic.twitter.com/j5eTBTp877

— Bradshaw (@myabradshaw78)August 2, 2026