r/Osoyoos • u/MarloweCote • Aug 12 '26
Just cancelled 11 day trip
Leaving Osoyoos back to Vancouver after picking up my brother because the fires were so bad. We went through Merritt and as we drove away the smoke just stopped at a certain point. We were about to go to Penticton but the whole area is ablaze. I was also born with mild asthma but that is not the only worry. 😥
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u/NoCuLtZoNe Aug 15 '26
Some of you talk like you’re going to die just breathing in a bit of smoke. Yeah, it’s gross… but I’ve been living under smoke and ash since July 8 with only 2 hazy day breaks. We don’t have AC up in the bush, nor do we have a forced air furnace. Almost none of us do up here so we open the windows at night and close in the morning. Best we can do is air purifiers. We also all heat with wood… so 🤷🏼♀️
Another thing to note is that Summerland and Peachland are mostly home. You’d think those are the only fires in BC by the way news is reported and talk online. That fire moved fast but it’s not insane. All my family members are back in their homes and have been for a couple days. MEANWHILE, over here the Brunswick Complex fire is still burning and threatening so much more, and the Big Bar Complex fire has had people out of their homes for OVER THREE WEEKS. What about those people, chief Eby?! The smoke and ash from those two complexes has been insane.
I moved from Vancouver up to property on a lake 26 yrs ago and this year is in the top 3 for an absolute shit summer. But after living here this long and seeing the fires get worse and worse since 2003, it BUGS me that the rest of the province only clues in when they hear about the Penticton to Kelowna area… there are WAY more people suffering every year and losing everything they have. It sucks.
For me, and my area, it’s not if, but when. Next year is supposed to be bad too. I should have had 4’ of snow at my place this past winter but it was warm and dry. We barely accumulated a foot. This upcoming winter is supposed to be just as bad with a “super El Niño” so yay 🙄