West Kelowna fire chief says L.A. devastation a haunting reminder of B.C. blaze

The fire chief of a British Columbia community devastated by a fast-moving wildfire in 2023 says it's "haunting" to see similar circumstances playing out in Southern California.

The fire chief of a British Columbia community devastated by a fast-moving wildfire in 2023 says it's "haunting" to see similar circumstances playing out in Southern California.

Jason Brolund, the fire chief in West Kelowna, B.C., says the images from the Los Angeles area — where flames have torn through thousands of homes over the past week — are so familiar and vivid that some of his firefighters won't look at them.

West Kelowna bore the brunt of the McDougall Creek fire in August 2023, when it descended on neighbourhoods surrounding Okanagan Lake and destroyed or damaged almost 200 properties.

In Southern California, flames fanned by high winds have devastated communities including Pacific Palisades and Pasadena, spreading in a manner similar to what West Kelowna encountered in 2023.

Brolund says the fires are an important reminder that communities must be proactive about the risks of large wildfires near urban areas as climate change triggers more blazes.

He says West Kelowna firefighters are also keeping a close eye on the strategies and technologies deployed in the L.A. fight, such as extensive nighttime aerial firefighting capabilities that would benefit B.C.'s own battle against future wildfires.

"We watch California closely," Brolund says. "We have for many years. They are considered a bellwether — what they are experiencing now, potentially five to 10 years (from) now, could be something that we see in our region.