Penticton & District Search & Rescue

08/26/2026

We are currently assisting Peachland Fire and Rescue Services in response to K51966, located southwest of Peachland. Our crews and fire department personnel are onsite working along the flanks of the fire, which is currently under one hectare in size. Additional information will be available on the incident page: https://wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/incidents?fireYear=2026&incidentNumber=K51966&source=map

A drone was spotted during our initial response to this incident, forcing aerial resources to adjust response tactics to ensure the safety of responders. When you fly a drone or UAV near or over a wildfire, you're breaking the law and endangering firefighting personnel. Transport Canada and the BC Wildfire Service explicitly prohibit the use of drones or UAVs of any size near a wildfire.

All wildfires are automatically “flight restricted” according to federal Canadian Aviation Regulations. The restricted area is within a radius of five nautical miles around any smoke or fire and to an altitude of 3,000 feet above ground level.

08/20/2026

Task Update ✨

Yesterday afternoon at approximately 4:40 p.m., PenSAR was tasked to Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park for a medical emergency involving a young hiker.

The subject’s guide activated an SOS, and PenSAR GSAR teams were deployed around 5:00 p.m. A helicopter team was deployed around 5:30 p.m. to assist with the response.

The subject was safely located, loaded up and handed over to BCEHS around 6:30 p.m.

With our region currently under a state of emergency and emergency responders working under exceptionally demanding circumstances, we encourage everyone to take a moment to consider their plans before heading into the backcountry.

With the current smoke conditions as well, please consider the impact on your health and the additional demands being placed on our responders.

Thank you to Eclipse Helicopters for their assistance with this response during wildfire season and a special thank you to BC Wildfire for releasing the helicopter for this task and to all of the responders involved.

08/17/2026

✨Member Monday ✨

We know we’ve missed a few Member Mondays!
Between the holidays and the demands of the Bald Range wildfire, the past few weeks have been especially busy for our team.

We’re excited to get back to highlighting the incredible people who make up PenSAR.

This week, we’re introducing Eden, one of our newer members who recently completed her GSAR training!

Eden was drawn to Search and Rescue because she spends so much time in the backcountry through both work and recreation and wanted an opportunity to give back to the outdoor community.

One of her favourite parts of GSAR was getting to know her fellow MITs, improving her rope skills, and putting her preparedness to the test during an overnight survival exercise.

Outside of PenSAR, Eden is a forester-in-training with a local First Nations company, focusing on wildfire mitigation, restoration and silviculture projects.

She’s also an avid trail and ultra runner who loves exploring the local trails and alpine.

And a fun fact?
Eden has planted more than half a million trees across BC. 👏🏼

We’re excited to have you on the team, Eden!

Welcome to PenSAR, and thank you for giving your time, skills and experience to our community.

08/17/2026

Bald Range Wildfire, A Community Effort

As the response to the Bald Range wildfire continues, we want to take a moment to recognize the incredible number of agencies, organizations, and volunteers who continue to respond, support operations, and work together to protect our communities.

Penticton Search and Rescue is grateful to work alongside BC Wildfire Service, Summerland Fire Department (and all the other fire departments who deployed to assist), RCMP, Conservation Officer Service, BCEHS, Ministry of Forests and Natural Resources teams, Emergency Support Services (ESS), ALERT, and our fellow BC Search and Rescue teams.

We also want to recognize the ongoing work and support of our local government and community partners, including the City of Penticton, Municipality of Summerland, Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS), and Penticton Indian Band (PIB).

A special thank you to our aviation partners, Top Flight and Eclipse, for their continued support and expertise.

A wildfire response of this scale takes an enormous amount of coordination, communication, resources, and teamwork. Many of these agencies and organizations continue to respond around the clock, while countless people work behind the scenes to support evacuations, protect communities, coordinate resources, and keep responders safe.

To every agency, organization, volunteer, and individual contributing to the Bald Range wildfire response, thank you.

We are proud to be part of a community where so many people come together and continue to support one another when they are needed most.

Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by the Bald Range wildfire.

A little thank you to summerland evacuee Kelsey for allowing us to share her photo from her home minutes before evacuating.
Special thank you also to Kaledan Firefighter Terry for allowing us to share this moment of pause captured by one of our members after they were out all night evacuating Summerland.

Please continue to stay safe and follow the direction of local authorities.

08/17/2026

Bald Range Fire information

08/13/2026

⚠️ This remains a wild fire zone and is subject to change without warning ‼️

Highway 97 is open for through traffic only between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm.

Road restrictions are in place. Follow the signs and directions of all emergency personnel as you drive through the corridor.

- There is NO ACCESS to any of the side roads to enter Evacuation Orders areas, without a valid RDOS Temporary Access Pass (TAP).
- Those with a Temporary Access Pass will be provided with information about which access point to use.
- Speed limits have been reduced to 70 km/h
- The Highway will be open to public traffic from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm each day to allow crews access to continue work overnight.
- Do not arrive before opening time.

If the situation changes, the highway may be closed again with limited notice. Be prepared.

View the update: https://www.rdos.bc.ca/newsandevents/rdos-news/hot-topics/article/5829

District of Summerland
City of Penticton - Municipality

08/13/2026

🛑 PENSAR URGENT TRAVEL ALERT:
Know Before You Go!

Your GPS is lying to you.
During periods while Highway 97 closed due to the active wildfire situation, standard navigation apps are rerouting regular commuter vehicles down dangerous, backcountry terrain.

Penticton Search and Rescue crews have already been deployed to rescue multiple stranded drivers stuck in areas so rugged that even our specialized SAR vehicles could not pass.

🚫 The Danger Zones:
Big Meadow Lake FSR
Chute Lake FSR
Gillard FSR

Take the Safe Alternate Route:
Highway 33 via Rock Creek
Highway 3 via Princeton to 97C
201 - Please be aware this is a gravel road and is rough and not suited for every vehicle and driver.

Do not follow your GPS blindly onto unfamiliar dirt roads.

To travel safely between Penticton and Kelowna, stick exclusively to the paved main highways.

Use Highway 33 to reach your destination safely. It will add time to your trip, but it is 100% paved, open, and clear of off-road hazards.
A line on your phone map does not mean it is a safe road.

Please help our volunteers keep resources free for wildfire emergencies by staying on paved highways.

Check DriveBC for real-time highway updates before you leave your driveway!

08/13/2026

The past few days have been some of the most challenging our community has faced.

While we are not out of the woods yet with the Bald Range Fire, we’ve had a moment to catch our breath and reflect.

Here at Penticton & District Search & Rescue, we’ve been overwhelmed by the support, kindness and thanks from our communities.

Tasked by the RCMP, our search and rescue teams spent the night going door to door throughout all of Summerland, ensuring residents were aware of the evacuation orders and were safely evacuated.

Many of our members live in surrounding communities, including Summerland and Faulder, and all of those members were evacuated during the event.

They were out performing evacuations for hours while their own homes and families were directly impacted by the fire and evacuations.

Some of our members lost their homes and yet carried on with evacuations.

Our helicopter team, along with Top Flight, also carried out searches for people reported missing during the response, adding another layer to an already complex and demanding weekend.

We also would like to take this time to acknowledge the support we received from our neighbouring search and rescue teams.

Princeton Ground SAR who had members both supporting the evacuation in Summerland as well as from the West across the fire line all night.

Central Okanagan SAR who rapidly deployed to Summerland but were turned around due to the fire affecting Highway 97. They quickly pivoted and evacuated areas in Peachland that were placed on evacuation order at 0200 Saturday Morning.

Oliver and Osoyoos SAR provided a steady supply of members throughout the night and into the weekend.

Rossland and District SAR and Grand Forks SAR, drove a long way to assist and provided replacement cover to PENSAR on the second night so PENSAR members could get rest and recharge.

This was one of those events that brought our teams closer together. Working side by side through a very difficult night strengthened relationships between our neighbouring SAR teams that will carry well beyond this response.

Thank you for responding in our time of need.

In total, 68 SAR volunteers from our team and our neighbouring SAR teams came out to support the evacuation efforts.

During the Bald Range Fire evacuations, these unpaid volunteers put in just under 4,000 hours on task, not including meetings, planning, organizing or standby time.

During the weekend, PENSAR also responded to two other tasks unrelated to the fire, adding 70 more hours of volunteer time to the weekend.

To our community, thank you for working with us, for being proactive, for leaving “already evacuated” notes that saved time in a dynamic and pressing situation, and for evacuating in an orderly and community-minded fashion.

As the wait for re-entry continues, please remember that many of the firefighters, RCMP and other emergency staff are also fighting for their own homes and are just as eager to return to their families.

We could not be prouder of how our small town responded to this crisis.

From PENSAR, to you. Thank you all.

08/13/2026

✨ Task Update ✨

At approximately 10:50 p.m Wednesday August 12th, Penticton & District Search & Rescue was tasked to assist a stranded motorist on Big Meadow Lake Road.

The subject was attempting to travel from Kelowna to Penticton in a low-clearance vehicle and became stuck on this 4x4 route.

Our team safely located and assisted the subject, who was ultimately returned to Penticton around 1am Thursday morning.

Once again, we want to remind everyone travelling between Kelowna and Penticton that Big Meadow Lake Road and Chute Lake Road are 4x4 routes and are not suitable for regular passenger cars.

Please do not travel these roads without 4x4 vehicle and experience.

If you are comfortable travelling on gravel roads, the 201 is an option and drivers should be prepared and comfortable with those conditions.

If you are looking to stay on paved roads, the safest options are:
• Hwy 33 → Rock Creek → Hwy 3 → Princeton
• Hwy 3 → Princeton → Hwy 97C

Please choose your route based on your vehicle and your comfort level.

A route that looks shorter on a map isn't necessarily the safest or easiest way through.

Plan ahead, know your route, and please don't put yourself, or our volunteers, in a situation that could have been avoided.

08/12/2026

Most recent update by RDOS.

Stay safe.

EOC Update: Bald Range Wildfire (K51490), Wednesday, August 12, 2026, 9:30 am

View the full update: https://www.rdos.bc.ca/newsandevents/rdos-news/hot-topics/article/5824