Statement from Chief and Council Regarding the Bradley Creek Fire

Update as of 2:00pm, Aug 9, 2026

way’ p snaqsilxʷ

More than a week has passed since the Bradley Creek Wildfire forced our community from homes and properties across Okanagan Indian Band IR 1. Since then, our focus has been clear: protect people, support those who have been displaced, and work toward bringing our community home safely.

There has been progress. Some residents have returned home, fire conditions have improved, and work continues throughout the affected area. At the same time, many Members and residents remain evacuated, significant damage assessments are still underway, and the full impact of this wildfire continues to emerge.

As Chief and Council, we want our Members to know that we are approaching what comes next with the same focus we brought to the first days of this emergency.

Over the past week, Council has been meeting daily, making decisions, speaking directly with Members and families, working with our emergency teams, and raising the needs of OKIB with provincial, federal and First Nations leadership. Those conversations will continue. The decisions ahead will not always be easy, but they will be made with the interests of our people and community at the centre.

Right now, different families are facing very different realities. Some are waiting to return home. Some are returning to properties without normal services. Some are still waiting for answers. And some already know they have lost their homes and are beginning to understand what that means for their families.

Our responsibility is to all of them.

The next phase cannot simply be about reopening roads and lifting Evacuation Orders. It must also be about making sure people have somewhere to live, restoring water and essential infrastructure, supporting families through loss, helping people navigate the programs and services available to them, and making sure nobody is left to figure out recovery on their own.

What our community has experienced has been difficult, and the impacts will continue long after the immediate emergency has passed. Culturally safe mental health and wellness supports are available and will continue to be part of the support provided to Members and families as we move through recovery. We encourage anyone who needs that support to reach out, whether that need is today, next week or further down the road.

There will also be questions that cannot be answered immediately. Recovery will involve different governments, agencies, insurers, utilities and funding programs. Some decisions will take time. Where we do not have an answer, we will work to get one, and share it with you on our official channels like our website and social media. Where our community needs support, we will advocate for it. Where systems create barriers for our people, we will work to address them.

Chief and Council are also committed to ensuring that the recovery reflects the realities of this community. This is our land, our homes and our families. The knowledge and voices of our Members must remain part of the decisions about how we recover and rebuild.

And our recovery must include the land itself. The fire has affected our forests, water, wildlife, traditional plants and places that have sustained our people for generations. As we care for our people and rebuild our community, we must also care for the land and water as they recover.

way’ kʷu kʷukstp to everyone who has stepped up and supported our community

We are deeply grateful to our Fire Department, the many people involved with OKIB ESS, staff and volunteers who have continued showing up for this community while experiencing this emergency alongside everyone else. Many have worked long days supporting evacuees, protecting homes and land, coordinating services and responding wherever they were needed, all while carrying concerns for their own families, neighbours and community. We see that commitment, and we are incredibly thankful for it.

That same spirit of support has extended well beyond OKIB. Neighbouring communities, governments, organizations, businesses and individuals have opened their doors, provided meals and accommodation, cared for animals, donated supplies and asked what they could do to help. We want to particularly thank the City of Vernon, Mayor and Council, City staff and Emergency Support Services for the tremendous support they have provided to our Members and evacuees throughout this emergency.

To everyone who has stood with our community during this incredibly difficult time, limləmt. Your support has meant more than we can adequately express.

But above all, we have seen our own people take care of one another.

That will matter as much in the months ahead as it did during the first days of this fire. Chief and Council are here, we are working together, and we are preparing for the long work ahead. This emergency has touched our families, our neighbours and the places we all know. There is a long road ahead, but it is our road. We will work through it together, as neighbours, families and community.

We will keep our people at the centre of every decision we make.

yilmixʷm Chief Dan Wilson and Council
Okanagan Indian Band